Some Hearts
by Just.D
Summary: Outlaw Queen - Set right after 3x16 - It's Not Easy Being Green. 'Forced to work for the Wicked Witch, Robin Hood ends up falling for the woman whose life he is being forced to destroy. Torn between his feelings for the Queen and his love for his son, will he be able to make the right choice' - ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
1. Chapter 1: Red Core

**Chapter 1: Red Core**

Red pushed its way through blackness and with every new beat the bright core lit up. He stared; a red core. In some ways her heart reminded him of the beating of a steady drum _– thump-thump, thump-thump –_ in quite another it wasn't the blackness that made it impossible for him to look away; it was the core. It complicated matters. Apparently he'd spoken the truth when he'd told her she seemed bold and audacious but not evil.

Her heart told him as much. Tainted by blackness, but for the core, a fragile red glow admits darkness.

He sighed.

How was he supposed to go through with this? Never mind how his own heart would surely grow darker if he handed hers and her fate over to that witch. No, not if; when.

He racked a hand through his hair and back over his face.

He was a thief, yes, not a murderer.

His attention shifted to the camp, his eyes searching and finding the little boy who was snuggly fast asleep between two of his men beside a nearly extinct fire.

He had to do it for Roland.

He couldn't condemn his son to a heartless life. He deserved to know how to love and what it felt like to be touched by love, but without a heart.

'_A heart for a heart.' _ That's what she'd said, before she'd reached inside Roland's chest. His son's screams still resonated in Robin's mind, so loud he had been sure he lost his boy the moment he past out. But then after Zelena had flown away, a wicked laugh trailing behind her in the sky, Roland had re-opened his eyes and had innocently asked why his head hurt and why daddy was crying. He didn't remember a thing. Robin had counted his blessings then and even though his son was heartless now he was still alive and had been spared the trauma of remembering what had happened to him. But his relief had been brief and as the days past a change had occurred within his son, so subtle that not even the boy himself understood why he now enjoyed crushing small insects between the tips of his fingers, or why the squirrels in the forest seemed more much appealing dead than alive. Robin glanced back at the heart in his hand, the Queen didn't seem to be too affected by the loss of hers.

Even though his son couldn't remember what had happened, Zelena had left her mark on him nonetheless. While she took his memories she gifted him nightmares. Every single night since the day she took his heart.

Maybe he should have felt guiltier about not telling the Charmings. Maybe, if he had, they could have freed the dark one. Maybe, he could have prevented the witch from getting to Princess Snow White and her unborn child.

But he hadn't. Since day one he hadn't told a single soul he knew the identity of the Wicked Witch and every single night as he soothed Roland back to sleep he was reminded of exactly why he'd kept it to himself.

He'd made the right choice.

Even after she took Little John.

'Little John.' He whispered.

He regretted what had happened to his best mate. If he hadn't been so reluctant to follow Zelena's orders in the first place, maybe his friend would still be among them. She'd punished him for his slackness. She'd told him that she would take more of his merry men if he didn't make his move soon.

That's when he finally started shadowing the Queen. It had been easy enough at first. As he'd introduced himself to her he'd only been mildly concerned. Shooting an arrow at her hadn't been the best first impression he could have made after all, but back then part of him had wanted to kill her _very badly._ If the arrow could have just spliced her skull in two, it all could have ended there and then. He used to fantasise about exactly such scenarios back in the Enchanted Forest, when they'd been sworn enemies. He'd harbored a common hatred for the Queen for years, but that was before he'd ever met her.

Belatedly – as the arrow had zoomed her way - he'd realized that Zelena would surely kill Roland if the Queen died that day, and so when she caught the arrow he'd been relieved but also – though reluctant to admit it - impressed.

To his surprise - and probably her own - she took an immediate liking to him. The Wicked Witch had predicted as much, in fact, by taking Roland's heart she'd assured Robin that she wasn't stupid enough to make the same mistake twice without some leverage. It made him wonder, but not long enough. At the time the advantage had served him well.

Up to the point when the Queen had handed him her heart.

'_Can't steal something that's been given to you.'_

And just like that she'd given him the key to Roland's salvation. Not for the first time that evening he wondered why he hadn't traded her heart before the Queen's confrontation with Zelena. Instead he'd stood guard over it like a loyal dog.

'_Keep working the Queen.' _Zelena had ordered right after her cover had been blown. She'd conjured Roland's heart and toyed with it before his eyes.

'_I don't have to remind you what will happen if you fail.' _She'd demonstratively given Roland's heart a tiny squeeze; it was all the encouragement he'd needed.

Between then and now he'd been on the Queen's tail wherever she went. At Granny's he'd managed to approach her a second time. A third time in the forest.

'_Stunning, in every way.'_

That's when everything changed.

As reluctant as he felt to admit it; he felt for the Queen. He could have stolen her heart. He could have traded it for Roland's heart anytime before she went to confront Zelena.

But she was; _stunning, in every way_.

Now he'd been given a second chance. Tomorrow he would meet with Zelena, moments before dawn. He could give her the heart then.

'_Or'_ a tiny voice whispered. _'you could lie and tell her the Queen has not yet fallen for you, that you do not know the location of her heart.'_ but then how could he make a heartless Queen fall in love with him?


	2. Chapter 2: Blood Is Thicker Than Water

**Chapter 2: Blood is thicker than water**

In the end it hadn't been much of a contest. When Roland screamed himself awake again later that night Robin berated himself for ever having considered lying to Zelena. He needed his son's heart back.

'Shhh, you're safe now.' He whispered and as he rocked his son back and forth in his lap the little boy gave him a poignant look. Shame seemed to flood his exterior before he spoke.

'I want to go home, papa.' He softly whispered. It took a courageous boy to admit he was homesick. Robin smiled and kissed his son's forehead.

'We will soon, my boy.' He quietly stroked Roland's thick dark hair. His mother's hair. It was in times like these he wished she was still among them. To comfort their son. To comfort him and speak words of wisdom whenever he doubted himself, like now. She'd been good at that.

* * *

As he made his way to their customary meeting place his satchel only barely burned a hole in his side and he felt but a tiny twinge of guilt when he noticed how his own heart beat in perfect rhythm to hers. _Thump-thump, thump-thump._ What would the Queen do when she'd catch word of what he'd done? He shook the thought away, he had to remember that it was but a small price to pay compared to what he would gain.

The wind picked up. She was close, he could tell. She had the strangest effect on nature. It almost seemed to bend and respond to her in terror, as most things did with her.

'You're early.'

'And you're late.' He spat.

'Careful now.' She narrowed her eyes, but the smile on her lips didn't fade. To her he was nothing more than a defenceless tool, showing up at her every whim, doing her biding whenever it needed to be done. He resented how she made him feel like a puppet and though he wasn't in the assassination business for her he would gladly make an exception.

'I presume you heard how things ended between me and my little sister last night.' She continued.

'I heard rumors.' It was hard to keep the smugness from his features.

'It was only one battle.' She shrugged. 'I will surely win the war.'

'Modesty most definitely becomes you.' He murmured but she caught his words and a flicker of annoyance flared up inside of her. She caught herself just in time and a forced smile appeared in its stead.

'Tell me now.' She started circling him, her attention shifting to the satchel and he wondered if she could sense the beating heart inside.

'How receptive has my little sister been of a common thief such as yourself? I really do hope you have made some progress, I would truly hate to see poor Roland suffer as a direct result of his father's failure to execute a simple task.'

Coldness spread through his body and it took all of his self-control not to throw himself at her. Reason told him it would be pointless but blind anger fought for justice. Reason won this time, justice would win another day. He swore it would.

'As a matter of fact, _I_ seemed to have succeeded where _you_ have failed.' He put on a mock smile and crossed his arms, at least he had the satisfaction of outwitting her. He had outwitted them all.

'Oh?' She stopped and turned his way, raising a perfectly plucked eyebrow at him.

Without a second thought he opened his satchel and reached inside. Steady as the beating drum, he reminded himself as he revealed the Queen's black heart to the witch in front of him.

Zelena gasped, the greed in her eyes tangible. She lunged at him but he took a calculated step backward.

'Not so fast.' He held up his other hand.

'My son's heart. A heart for a heart, just like you said.'

She let out a low growl but remained where she stood, her eyes glued on her sister's heart. Unlike him she seemed to be most fascinated with the black lines and dark patches rather than the red bright ones. In silent amazement he watched her drink it all in, every inch she examined. They stood like that for a while; the witch scrutinising her sibling's heart, while he considered her greed filled expression. How could anyone so fair looking, be so wicked?

'Well, well, well.' She smiled and looked up at him, appearing sufficiently convinced of the heart's authenticity. 'Who'd have guessed? I knew my sister had a weak spot for you but for her to give up her heart so readily she must _really_ like you, forest boy.'

'Roland's heart!' He demanded.

He'd done what she'd asked, now it was her turn to conjure Roland's heart, he wanted to be done with this. She took a step backward, the greed in her eyes dissipating as along with it.

'No.' She said.

Robin frowned, unsure of what to make of the swift in her demeanour.

'Take it and give me my son's heart!' He demanded more forcibly now.

Zelena shook her head.

'No.' she calmly repeated.

'Why the hell not?!' He huffed, exasperated. He took a desperate step in her direction, feeling the leverage he held in the form of Regina's heart figuratively slip from his grasp. Why didn't she want it anymore? What could have possibly triggered her to change her mind in but a few seconds time?

'My sister humiliated me yesterday.' She resumed her pacing. 'She needs to be punished first.'

'Punished? Isn't taking her heart punishment enough?'

'No.' She stopped and stepped closer to Robin, her face inches away from his and he had to suppress the urge to back away. If envy had a scent it would smell like her.

Her eyes lit up, his disgust so poorly hidden she revelled in the feel of it.

'I want to destroy her,' She breathed, one finger stretching out to touch the heart. Intrigued she traced the black lines with a long black nail. 'And I will. But before I do so, she needs to _suffer_ for what she did. And _you -'_ she brought the same finger up to trail along Robin's cheek.'- are the key to her suffering.' Her lips split apart revealing the wickedest smile he'd ever laid his eyes upon.

'We had a deal!' He caught her hand and tried to force the heart in her palm, but she backed out of his reach and before he knew it the Queen's heart slipped from his grasp and fell on the damp leaved ground between them. Its beat intensified and for a moment he feared he'd broken it, killed her, but then its steady thumping returned, falling in sync with his own again. He let out air he didn't know he'd been holding.

Zelena laughed out loud.

'Careful, forest boy. If you break it before you're done, I won't have much use for your son's heart anymore.'

'What do you want from me?!' He pleaded, his resistance fading.

'I want you to take my sister's heart, convince her to put it back where it belongs and make her fall in love with you.'

It had been their original plan.

Zelena's original plan. It had made sense when she'd wanted him to acquire the Queen's heart. He had told himself that he had had nothing to lose back then. He hadn't been a supporter of the idea but the Evil Queen was called evil for a reason. When push came to shove, he figured that he would be doing the world a favor, one that morally compromised him but a favor nonetheless. It could have been worse. He could have been coerced into hurting someone he truly cared about. But that was before he'd ever met her.

'We've been through this. I already obtained the heart.'

'Then she's in love with you?'

He hesitated, was she in love with him? He could hardly say so. She hadn't burned him to a crisp, that was for sure, and he had to admit that there was something about her, an irresistibly pull, she felt too. But love?

'She trusts you, that doesn't mean she loves you.'

'I don't see what you could possibly gain from this.'

Zelena stepped forward, bend down and retrieved the Queen's heart from the mossy ground. Her fascination with the blackness still clearly visible in the way her eyes travelled over it once more.

'Don't you?'

She took his hand and pressed it back in his palm.

'I'll tell you.' Her finger returned, tracing a lazy circle over the bright core.

'Do you see that red little core inside of my sister's heart? That core stands for ones hopes and dreams, for life's infinite possibilities, all that is still good. It is the essence of a person's life.' Her voice drifted but then returned a whisper as she bent closer to him.

'Regina still has hope and she still has dreams. I want you to become that core.' She pressed her finger down, the beat growing faster again and he pulled away, a scowl on his lips. 'I want you to make her want for nothing but you and once you've become her hopes and dreams, you will betray her. You will tell her it was all a lie and you will take her heart and you will give it me.'

She backed away then and reached for her broom.

He remained silent, the air thick as he pondered the destructive nature of what she was asking him to do.

Her plan was wicked, but also clever, because it was true, the best way to make a person suffer was to take away the things they loved most. Now he was supposed to become the thing Regina Mills loved most and it wasn't even a question, it was a demand.

'What makes you so sure she will love me?'

'Let's just say that the one who casts the curse gets to keep the memories.'

There it was again, that godforsaken forgotten year. Zelena had alluded to it more than once now. It was the reason she'd taken Roland's heart, it was the reason she'd picked him and not some random dwarf to seduce the Queen. He'd been blocking it out. He hadn't want to waste time on things he couldn't remember. In truth part of him also feared what it all meant. There was something there. Something that connected him to the Queen and that lost year. He couldn't phantom what it could be. Surely, he hadn't been on friendly terms with her? Then again, it was possible. Right now he found he liked her considerably more than he did before he only knew her by name.

'If I do this.' He hesitated, unsure of what exactly he was signing up for.

'You will give me Roland's heart.'

It was more of a statement than a question.

'Yes.' She confirmed.

'How will I know you won't break your promise again?'

'You don't.' She readied her broom. The wind picked up again. The forest shuddered all around her, preparing itself.

'You're just going to have to trust me.'


	3. Chapter 3: The Heartless Queen

**You guys have no idea how much sleep I'm losing over this story. I have to get up at 6 tomorrow morning for work and it's close to 1.30 a.m. right now. Sacrificing sleep is big guys, just remember that. I really wanted to have this chapter posted before tomorrow night, though, since ain't nobody got time for fanfiction when you're all glued to the screen watching the real thing. *I is in different timezone* So here you have it. I hope tomorrow's episode won't be as much of a letdown as I am expecting it to be. =( **

**I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, though. I've been scribbling dialogue on tiny pieces of paper, notepads on my phone and iPad over the past two days. It's funny how much incoherent dialogue lies scattered all over the place. I've truly never been this excited about one of my own stories ever before! Even my cat thinks I'm not giving her enough attention, that's how focused I've become! So again, I hope you enjoy this as much as I am enjoying writing at the moment.**

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**Chapter 3: The Heartless Queen**

Although she'd only asked to meet with Emma that morning, she later realized that she clearly should have been more specific on that note. As she entered Granny's diner she found that aside from the early morning customers, both David, Snow, as well as Tinkerbell, Belle and Red stood crowded around the savior.

'There was no need to take your whole fan-club with you, miss Swan.' She casually remarked.'

Emma shrugged her shoulders.

'They insisted.'

Regina sighed and turned her attention to the counter where Granny warily studied her over the brim of her glasses. Hands planted in her side.

'I'd like a coffee, please, but go easy on the sugar this time.' Granny faked a smile and nodded. Belatedly Regina realized it would be a while before she would get her coffee; it always took a while with that woman.

'Where's Henry?' She finally asked as she turned back to Emma and the rest of the group.

'Don't worry, he's with Hook.'

'How is that not supposed to worry me?'

'Regina.' Snow spoke, a note of a warning in her voice.

Regina swallowed. She hadn't felt completely at ease this morning. The events that had transpired the night before and the loss of her heart were taking a toll on her. She wondered whether symptoms of heart-withdrawal actually existed. After all, in some ways people were addicted to their hearts and the emotions it enabled them to feel.

'I'm sorry.' She apologized. 'I'm not completely feeling like my usual self this morning.'

Emma nodded.

'What did you want to discuss?'

'Let's move over there.' She motioned with her hand to the other side of the bar.

Emma followed her as did her parents, the rest of the group remained where they were. At least they understood that she hadn't wanted them to be there this morning.

'We need to discuss the possibility of training your magic.' Regina reluctantly spoke, not ready to be overheard, yet.

'As much as I'd like to believe I'm more powerful than my sister, I realize, that after last night, I might not be able to defeat her on my own.'

'You want to teach me magic?' Emma looked incredulous.

'I've taught you before.'

'Yeah and that turned out so well.'

'No one said it would be easy.'

'No but-' Emma considered the idea for a moment. David and Snow both looked reluctant but they kept their opinions to themselves. For now. It was Emma's decision, they understood that.

'OK. I'll give it a shot.' the woman finally conceded.

Regina smiled. It surely wouldn't be easy she knew that, but her powers combined with the savior's – she remembered what they were capable of, she'd seen it. At least, if Emma managed to develop her magic quickly, they would stand a fighting chance against the Wicked Witch and the Dark One.

The door to Granny's diner opened and her attention momentarily shifted to the person who'd stepped inside. She hadn't expected to see him there this morning. He didn't normally frequent places in town. He preferred the forest.

David, Snow and Emma followed her line of vision.

'Robin Hood, right?' Emma promptly asked.

David nodded.

He remembered meeting Robin. He'd instantly taken a liking to the man, who'd seemed decent and honorable in his interactions with the people around him. David truly regretted what had happened to his friend - Little John - but other than that, he had to admit, he didn't really know the man, nor if he could be trusted. After all, he had been more commonly referred to as the King of Thief back in the Enchanted Forest.

Emma voiced his concerns.

'Do we trust him?' His daughter narrowed her eyes at the fair-haired man. Her gaze shifting to the bow he carried.

'You can trust him.'

Tinkerbell approached the group.

'He's Regina's soul mate. He wouldn't do anything to harm her.'

Regina abruptly turned her eyes on Tink. The eavesdropping fairy appeared unabashed.

'You filthy little blabbermouth.' She snapped.

Tink shrugged, unaffected by the Queen's wrath. Unlike most of the other people from the Enchanted Forest she'd never been afraid of Regina. She'd been too submerged by her desire for vengeance that she'd been unable to fear the stories that had travelled to Neverland. Back then they had merely fed her anger, causing her need for justice to grow ever more. Of course, all of that lay in the past now and she'd forgiven Regina since, but she would never forget. Yesterday, as the woman had turned away from her soul mate for a second time, she had been reminded of exactly why she would never forget. If that made her a blabbermouth, so be it. Regina owed her.

'They were going to find out sooner or later.'

'And who, pray-tell, was going to tell them?'

Tink ignored her and the overwhelming urge to clip her wings suddenly consumed Regina but Snow's next words distracted her from the malevolent desire and her attention shifted away.

'Regina has a soul mate?' The shock on the pregnant woman's face was palpable.

Regina rolled her eyes. Snow's tone, so full of disbelief, it annoyed her more than Tink's betrayal.

'More astounding things have been known to happen.' She defensively crossed her arms in front of her.

'Yes but, I thought –' Snow trailed, unable to finish the thought.

'Well.' Emma chimed in. 'To be fair, it's not like you're the easiest person to lo – ' she hesitated '- to like. Or to get close to for that matter.'

Regina whirled around, calmly examining Emma's features before she spoke.

'That's rich, coming from _you_, miss Swan.'

'What's that supposed to mean?' Emma shot back, narrowing her eyes at Regina.

'Correct me if I'm wrong but I distinctly remember two men fighting over you in a far off land not too many moons ago, and you being the pathetic little waste of potential that you are, you just couldn't deal.' Regina demonstratively flung out one of her arms, emphasizing her point.

'Now one of them is feeding the worms six feet under and the other one is playing _hooky_ with _my_ son.'

Emma's eyes flared up. She slowly closed in on Regina, her face inches away. For a moment they stayed like that, angrily staring at each other in suspended animation. Then, out of nowhere, Emma's hand struck out, it hit Regina squarly on the face. Not quite hard enough to draw blood but noticeable enough to draw the attention of all the people in the diner. A blanket of silence descended on the room, only broken by Snow's loud disapproving cry.

'Emma!'

'This guy must have a _very_ strong stomach if he can tolerate your presence in his life.' Emma dangerously whispered.

Before Regina could respond in kind, David put a hand on his daughter's shoulder, wistfully forcing the woman to turn away from Regina's wrath.

'What's going on here?' An unfamiliar accented voice split the group apart and as they all turned to see who had spoken, his attention was solely focused on Regina, making it clear he was addressing her and only her.

She noticed how his eyes travelled to her reddening cheek and a blatant expression of concern flashed across his features. Concern for her.

'We're fine.' she uncomfortably shifted her attention away from the people around her.

'In fact, I was just about to leave.' She stepped away from the group, forced pass by Robin, who was blocking the path toward the exit.

He caught her arm. Surprised she looked up. His eyes held hers, a silent question formed in its depths. She blinked unsteadily, fazed by his touch. Hard-set eyes wandered to where his hand locked around her lower arm, but she didn't answer his unspoken question. Instead, she tore herself away from him and resumed her way to the exit.

'Regina!' Emma started after her but Snow held her back.

'Let her go.' She spoke to her daughter. 'She'll be back.'

The door to Granny's diner slammed shut.

'Careful!' The old woman roared from behind the counter but Regina was long gone.

* * *

'Regina!'

She was not surprised.

'Not now!'

He fell in step next to her.

'Hey!'

'I really don't feel like discussing ethics with you right now.' She made a sudden sharp turn in the hope she would lose him. He followed suit.

'I don't know if you remember,' he hurried after her. 'but I'm not so big on ethics myself. Regina stop!' He ordered.

She stopped, but not because he told her to. It took her a moment to realize where she was. She'd blindly stormed out of the diner without an actual destination in mind, but to her surprise she now found herself on the playground of Storybrooke's elementary school. Henry's old school.

She swallowed hard and stared at the building for a moment, it had been abandoned not long after the first curse broke. They hadn't been able to keep up appearances forever. Why had she come here?

'You could give my men a run for their money' Robin appeared in front of her, clearly out of breath. 'and that for someone in heels.' He grinned, obviously impressed, but as his eyes travelled to her cheek for a second time the grin vanished from his face.

'Might be blue in the morning.'

He brought his hand up and before she could stop him he trailed a finger over the swelling. She flinched.

'It'll match nicely with my purse then.' She darkly spoke.

His smile returned and he tilted his head to the side.

'Frankly, I'm surprised you let her off so easily.' He mocked. 'If I didn't know better I'd say the Queen has lost her touch.'

She clenched her jaw and pushed his hand away from her face.

'I would have gladly destroyed her and it would have been a lot easier without my -' She left the sentence unfinished. The only reason she had been so brash with the Charmings was because she was truly heartless now. It bothered her more than she thought it would.

'Why didn't you then?' he challenged.

'I need her magic.'

It was only half true of course. By now she knew that if she ever tried to hurt Emma Swan in whichever way – with or without her heart -, Henry would never forgive her. Even more so now, when she stood even less of a chance of earning a place in his heart. But she kept that to herself. Robin didn't even know about Henry, yet. How very satirical that she trusted him with her heart but she hadn't even told him whom it belonged to.

Robin merely nodded, not pursuing the topic any further. He wasn't too big on magic, she could tell.

'Speaking of hearts.' He padded his satchel that contained hers. Her eyes grew wide, almost wild as she looked down at it and back at him again.

'You brought it with you?! Are you out of your mind?!'

She grabbed his arm and dragged him across the playground toward the school building. With a flick of her hand the locked school doors burst open and she pushed him inside.

'I gave my heart to you so you could hide it somewhere even I wouldn't be able to find it. What makes you think it's a good idea to parade it around town instead?!'

He paused, completely caught off guard by her reaction.

'I don't think it's a good idea I keep it.' He finally breathed.

Her expression softened.

'Oh.' She looked down at her hands.

'No.' he tilted her chin up, forcing her to look back up. 'not because I don't want to.' He assured her.

'I just think it would be smarter if you put it back where it belongs.' She frowned and shook her head.

'Why would you possibly think that's a good idea?'

'Well, I've been thinking.' He turned away, crossed his arms behind his back and softly started pacing the space between the wall and her.

'Zelena believes you hid your heart somewhere safe. So, right now she's probably having her simian army scan every inch of this town in search of your heart. But surely,' he stopped in front of her. 'the one place where she will fail to look for it is where she's already looked.' He boldly reached out between them and carefully placed his hand over her chest, indicating the place he meant, the place where her heart used to beat.

Unaffected Regina stared at him for a few moments.

'You are cleverer than you look.' She meant it as an insult but he caught her smile before she turned away from him. His hands dropped to his side.

'It's a risky plan.' She said with her back to him. 'If for whatever reason she decides to look inside my chest again, I won't be able to stop her.'

'Isn't it riskier to just have me hide it somewhere where she and her flying monkeys may or may not find it? At least this way you'll have a fighting chance if she does come back for you.'

She bit her lip, considering his words. No matter how she looked at the situation she stood a chance of losing her heart either knowingly or unknowingly.

'Very well.'

She turned back to face him. A smile played on his lips. She reached for his satchel but his hands were already inside the bag.

'Unscathed and in perfect condition.' He said as he pulled it out and offered it to her.

She took it and while she watched it beat in the palm of her hand, she hesitated. Just for a moment, then she forced it back in its rightful place.

She gasped, as a flood of emotion spread through her body. It pressed the numbness aside, like a ray of sunshine bursting through a cloudless day.

She felt alive again.

* * *

**Sleep. I need sleep. Oh and thank you all so much for the reviews on my last chapter. I had some very interesting conversations with some of you (you know who you are) I will reply to any outstanding messages on Monday or late Sunday night. The weekends are always quite hectic for me, but just so you know, I haven't forgotten you!  
**


	4. Chapter 4: All Magic Comes At A Price

**I'm baaack! Actually, I am almost done with chapter 5 as well, it will either go up later tonight or tomorrow morning, depending on the amount of editing it needs, but it's looking goooood. Actually, I'm way more excited for you to read chapter 5 than this one because there's some good stuff in there I enjoyed writing so very, very much. This chapter was fun too, of course! I loved how it gave me the chance to explore Emma's character a little bit more. Also, I have to say that I do not agree with what canon is currently doing. I'm just not buying her natural talent for magic and I seriously don't like the thought of her being more powerful than Regina, it makes me shudder. In my world they're equals and Emma is a slow learner, so, that's exactly what you're getting in this next chapter. Why? Because I can, it's my fic and easy does it. Seriously, what's the rush canon Emma? It took Regina years to learn, I'm not buying this. Just no.**

**I've always noticed that the Robin-working-for-Zelena theory because she's threatened Roland, is basically floating around everywhere these days, in fic's as well as in canon theories. People are basically screaming it's canon already based on the promo for the upcoming ep. I'm starting to feel it too now and I'm hoping it's going to be good. REALLY GOOD. I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want this to happen. I'm done with my rant now. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I worked on it for the better part of this day as well as chapter 5, it's the best time I've wasted inside my head in weeks. It was wonderful. Enjoy.**

**Also, to all of my amazing reviewers and dedicated followers. I feel sooo flattered that you're all reading my rants and rambles! Close to 60 followers while basically nothing fluffy or juicy has happened, yet! I'm beyond grateful for your unwavering support. You rock! **

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**Chapter 4: All Magic Comes At A Price**

'Focus!'

'I am!'

'Try harder.'

'That's easy for you to say!' Emma yelled, her frustration palpable. 'You have said or done nothing to help me so far.'

Regina rolled her eyes. They'd been in the forest since noon and the most impressive thing Emma Swan had managed to do up until that point was annoy her. Sure, the woman had tremendous potential, but she was a slow learner.

A very slow learner.

They really didn't have time for this.

'It's just a rock. I'm not asking you to lift the Empire State Building. You can do this.'

'Have you seen the size of that thing?'

'Forget the size, it doesn't weigh a thing for as far as the magic inside of you is concerned. I told you how to access it, now focus and try _again_.'

Emma turned back to the rock, lifted her hands and pushed them upward for the umpteenth time. The object remained as stationary as ever. If it could talk, she was sure it would have started mocking her by now.

'You're not even trying.' Regina huffed.

'I don't see how anger can be the only way to access magic. There must be a better way. Just because it's the only way you know how to do it, doesn't mean that I have to learn it that way.'

Regina let out a low sarcastic snort and shook her head.

'If magic was good it would never have to come at a price in the first place. Don't you see? It was born out of wrath and anger and it will always need that darkness to fuel it, whether you like it or not, miss Swan, you're going to have to let that darkness consume your every thought if you want to learn. Now focus and try again!'

Emma set her teeth and reluctantly closed her eyes. Although she loathed to admit that dark thoughts and vengeful feelings were the only way to develop her magical abilities, she also had to accept that it was the only way Regina knew how to teach magic. The only way Rumpelstiltskin had known how to teach Regina. She took in a deep breath and held it for a few moments. What made her angry? She wracked her brain for answers. A memory flashed before her eyes; Walsh. Walsh and the person he had pretended to be, the feelings he had invoked inside of her. Hook because he'd torn her away from her blissful life with Henry. Pan, just because he was Pan.

'Yes! That's what I'm talking about!'

Her eyes flew open and an audibly gasp pushed past her lips. To her surprise the rock that had remained mockingly stationary and immovable for hours on end was now hovering right in front of her eyes.

'Hold on to those vengeful thoughts, miss Swan.' Regina warned as the rock wavered and began to lose height.

Walsh, she'd stick to Walsh and how very badly she wished to castrate that filthy little winged ape.

In response to her thoughts the rock steadily climbed upwards again.

'Good, very good.' Regina smiled.

'Now aim between those two trees,' the dark haired woman pointed to the other side of the clearing. 'and toss it.' she commanded.

'But –'

'Don't think, just do!'

The rock shuddered again but Emma held on. She could do this. She aimed and with a push of her hand in the direction of the two trees the rock slowly started to move. It hovered and shuddered, gaining speed. Small beats of sweat formed on her forehead. _Focus_ she told herself. Her face burned with heat. Too hot. She felt her control over the object slip. Frustrated she bit down on her lip. She could not let go now, with all the anger she could muster she pushed again and the rock blasted forward but the act had thrown it off course. It soared toward Regina and scrapped the side of the woman's face before she could completely jump out of its way, she lost her balance and unable to steady herself, she stumbled and fell.

'You inexperienced troll, you –' she screamed.

But Emma's attention shifted, her eyes catching on something unexpected. As the rock lost height and soared across the clearing at a frightful speed, a small figure darted past.

A child.

'REGINA!' Emma cut in, her expression wild as she watched the rock fly directly at a small, brown haired boy.

Regina caught the panic in Emma's voice and as she quickly pushed herself up into a sitting position, her eyes grew wide with fright. A child. She stuck out her hand, not quite sure what she could do, but instinct took over and immediately the rock exploded into millions of tiny dust particles. The blast knocked the boy off his feet and loud wailing directly accompanied his fall.

Emma hurried toward him.

'Oh, my God.' She cried. 'Are you alright?!'

'ROLAND!'

Another figure appeared out of the foliage and ran across the clearing. He reached the boy before Emma did, and quickly gathered him up in his arms.

'It's OK.' He shushed. 'You're alright.'

He held the boy close to his chest and in response the arms of the child tightly wrapped around the man's neck. After a moment, his crying slowly turned into a soft whimpering. A mix of anger and terror lay clearly visible on Robin's face, but the instant Emma appeared in his line of vision his demeanor completely shifted to anger.

'What the hell was that?!' He roared.

'I'm so sorry.' Emma started, her hand reaching out to touch the boy but Robin took a step backward. Her hand grasped at air instead.

'I didn't mean -'

'It was my fault.' A voice from behind him cut in. He whirled around and as his eyes caught her approaching form his expression softened.

'Regina.'

'I'm so sorry.' She gave him a look that spoke of pure guilt and genuine concern for the boy.

'If I'd known your camp was so close by I would never have come here to practice miss Swan's magic. I'm completely at fault.'

He nodded, his anger only slightly subsiding.

'No, I cast the rock in the boy's way. It's partly my fault, not just Regina's.' Emma said, her own guilt speaking for her. She reached out again and this time Robin didn't move backward, but as Emma touched Roland's back the boy recoiled away from her and buried his face deeply into Robin's chest.

'I'm so sorry, Roland.' Emma whispered.

At the sound of his name the boy carefully peeked up with one eye. As he took in the blond woman's gentle features and pained expression he slowly nodded. Then his eye caught sight of the woman beside Emma. Fascinated he studied Regina's face for a moment.

'You're hurt.' He pointed his finger at her cheek.

She brought her hand up to her face and felt how blood was slowly trickling down to her chin. A small amount of it had already dripped onto her shawl and coat. Due to the adrenaline-induced state she was in, she'd failed to notice it up until now.

'It's just a scratch.' She smiled at the boy. His eyes looked concerned, the exact same expression Robin wore a day ago at Granny's.

'He's your son.' She frowned. She looked from Roland to Robin and back again.

'Yes.' Robin answered.

'You're married.' She said it more to herself than him. Surprised that the thought had never even occurred to her before that moment.

'I was.' He said. She noticed the hardness that settled in his eyes as he referred to his marriage in the past tense.

Emma uncomfortable scrapped her throat. Her attention shifting from Regina's supposed soul mate to Regina.

'I think I'm done for now.' She spoke up. 'I've _'nearly'_ hurt enough children for one day.' She looked down at her watch.

'Holy shit, I was supposed to pick up Henry half an hour ago.'

At the mention of Henry, Regina swallowed hard.

'We'll pick this up again tonight.' She stated.

'Tonight? But-'

'Tonight.' Regina firmly repeated.

Emma nodded and then turned to Robin again.

'If there's anything I can ever do for you...' She trailed. 'I truly am very sorry.' Her eyes pleaded with him, asking for forgiveness.

'Forget it.' Robin said, his anger now almost completely gone. He had to admit that it wasn't entirely Emma's fault after all. Roland should have looked before he blithely entered the clearing. Try telling a five year old that, though.

Emma smiled.

'Well, bye then.'

'Goodbye.' Regina curtly nodded.

As the blond woman crossed the field and disappeared out of sight Robin turned to Regina.

'If you want to, we can put something on that cut back at the camp.' He pointed at her face.

'Don't worry about it.' She smiled and then turned her attention to Roland.

'You want to see a magic trick?'

Curious the boy studied her cheek again, then he slowly nodded.

'Watch my hand.'

She brought her flat hand up to her face. Not quite touching the wound, but close enough to hide it from Roland's view. Slowly it moved over the cut, revealing unblemished skin inch by inch as it past. When her hand had finally moved over the whole of the wound, the cut had completely disappeared.

Roland's eyes grew wide.

'Papa, you must teach me!' He cried. Turning his stunned expression on his all-knowing father. Robin smirked and tapped the boy's nose with his finger in response.

'Nice trick.' He said to Regina.

'All children love magic tricks.' She simply stated. Robin nodded absentmindedly and she recalled, when she'd spoken of magic the day before, how he had quickly changed the subject.

'I see you have forgiven Emma.'

'Forgiven?' She raised one eyebrow as she pondered the word and looked between the two trees across the field. 'I don't know about forgiveness, I rather prefer to think of the incident as forgotten. For the moment.'

'Sounds complicated.'

'I suppose it is.'

The finality of those words indicated that she was done with the subject. She felt no desire to discuss her relationship with Emma Swan, nor the person who connected her to the savior. Then, of course, there was also the incident at Granny's that Robin had been privy to the other day. It was complicated. Too complicated.

'Why don't you join me and my merry men for supper this evening?' He interrupted her thoughts, a small encouraging smile on his lips.

'Unless of course you have somewhere more important to be.'

'I don't think –' she began.

'Yes!' Roland suddenly chipped in, his eyes wild with excitement as they looked at Regina's hands and then to her cheek again, clearly interested to see what kind of other magic tricks she held up her sleeve.

Regina shook her head.

'I don't think it would be wise…' She trailed.

'Come now, are you really going to say no to this little man.'

As if on cue, Roland started to pout, presenting her with the most heartbreakingly hilarious look she had ever seen upon a child's face.

She smiled, stepped closer and reached out a hand to ruffle his hair. The boy giggled and now, within reach, he curiously put a hand on her cheek. Fascinated he traced the place where she'd just made the wound disappear. The cut really was gone. His eyes grew wide with renewed excitement.

'I suppose I do owe you one.' She winked at him. 'Very well, I'll join you.'

'Excellent.' Robin openly expressed his approval.

He put Roland down and as the boy slipped his hand into his father's, they started toward camp.

* * *

**That was it! Also, to the people I haven't PMed back, yet. I'm working on that! I will get back to you! Promise!**


	5. Chapter 5: Robin Hood and his Merry Men

**I'd actually meant for this chapter to be up sooner but it needed a lot more editing than I originally thought. Also, it was supposed to be longer but then some other ideas hit me while I was finishing it and I decided to combine my original ideas with my new ones in the next chapter. Next one is going to be very interesting! Sadly though, since I haven't started writing it, yet, and I'm working double shifts at work this Easter weekend I probably won't be able to update until next Wednesday, maybe (big fat maybe) Tuesday. So this is it for now! **

**Again, thank you all for your amazing support. I sincerely love that I have been able to bounce theories off of some of you, you keep me sharp and interested in the show! Amazing people you are!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Robin Hood and His Merry Men**

Darkness had come quickly and by the time they arrived the sun had all but disappeared. Although only eight or so men excluding Robin and Roland were part of Robin's band of thieves, the camp was abuzz with sounds of warm laughter, merry music and excited chatter.

That was, until they saw her.

As soon as Robin joined the group and all eyes fell on Regina all the noise in the camp ceased.

They all recognized her. The Evil Queen. She should have anticipated their reaction. It was an all too familiar one. She received it from the entire town on a daily basis, why would she assume his men would react any differently?

As she studied their faces she realized that she even recognized a few, some of them had crossed paths with her years ago, some had only nearly escaped her wrath. Others she'd believed to be dead, still others had probably only heard stories. All of them eyed her with a mixture of fear and hatred, all but for Robin and Roland. The latter just looked confused.

'Why is everybody so quiet?' The boy turned to his father, too young to understand what was going on, but old enough to notice that something was not quite right.

'What is the meaning of this?' One of Robin's men approached him. His bright blue eyes held a weathered type of toughness. As he planted himself in front of his leader Regina noticed he even carried himself with the confidence of four men, rather than one. It made her itchy. The disgust he felt was tangible and as his eyes briefly met hers she honored him with a scornful look of her own.

'The Queen is joining us for supper this evening.' Robin stated.

Disbelief appeared on all of the men's faces and soft disapproving murmurs travelled through the camp.

'Have you lost your mind?! Do you realize who this is?!' The man in front of him bellowed.

'Careful, Arthur.' Robin warned, his eyes turning to slits.

The man ignored him.

'Have you forgotten that her black knights constantly tried to hunt us down back in the Enchanted Forest? Or the rumors that surrounded her after King Leopold's convenient death that led to her reign of terror?' he turned his attention to Regina as he continued. 'Never mind what happened to her own family, they just disappeared into thin air not long after her reign started. Or the countless other people she's tortured ever since!'

Regina clenched her fist, her jaw set as her eyes travelled from one merry man to the next. Every single one of them nodded in unison, their eyes solely set on Arthur.

'I'm sorry,' Her voice startled the group out of their synchronized nodding session, but she ignored them and continued 'clearly this was a mistake.'

She turned around, intend on leaving.

'No!' Robin's anger pushed to the front and he caught Regina's arm before she could move out of his reach.

'Is this any way to threat the person who saved my son's life today?'

Silence returned and for a moment Arthur's expression faltered. He had not expected that. Not from her. Technically it was only half true. If she had not endangered the boy's life in the first place he would not have needed saving, but she'd be damned if she corrected Robin on a minor technicality.

'She is our guest this evening and you will threat her as such.' Robin resumed, after the shock in his men's eyes had abated.

For a moment nobody moved but then another man located near a big cauldron in the back, loudly dumped a bowl into the pot, filled it to the brim, took it out, crossed the camp and silently handed it to Robin.

Robin smiled gratefully.

'Thank you, Friar Tuck.'

Friar Tuck nodded, his eyes fearfully darting to Regina, and she detected more terror than anger in its depths.

'Welcome.' He politely inclined his head in her direction.

Her expression softened.

'Thank you.'

The man bowed and before she could say another word he quickly retreated back to his place next to the cauldron.

Slowly the other men started to spread around the camp again. The music, laughter and chatter returned, nobody seemed to challenge her presence in their midst any longer. But she noticed that a certain amount of tension remained. As she consciously removed herself from the center of the group and sat down against a tree just outside their circle, she caught the occasional wary glance from one or two men. The music didn't quite sound the same, the laughter felt strained and their voices sounded whispered as though they were afraid she would overhear them.

Robin approached her, an apologetic expression on his face.

He handed her a second bowl he'd just received from Friar Tuck. It was filled to the brim with a substance that closely resembled soup, though she couldn't be sure. She eyed it warily shifting her attention from the could-be-soup to him but she only gained an encouraging nod in return. As she lifted the hand-made spoon from the bowl, it occurred to her that the object almost seemed comical, resembling something that had come from another time, rather than another land.

She carefully took a sip and to her surprise it tasted better than any soup she had ever consumed at court, or even Storybrooke, where all the soup was simply stored in cans and sold in supermarkets.

She nodded approvingly, and took another sip.

'Chicken?'

'Turkey.' He corrected.

She smiled gratefully.

'We try to shoot all of the game ourselves.' He said. 'Although, in this land there are some curious creatures we have not ever seen before.'

She swallowed, almost tempted to add that in this land he also needed a permit if he wished to hunt game on community property, but she kept quiet. What did it matter? The curse made sure that Storybrooke lay hidden from the outside world and government interference. She imagined that this time around she, herself, would not even be able to leave without suffering certain unforeseeable consequences - aside from turning into a flying monkey, of course. The only ones who could leave at this time were Emma, Henry, Hook and the one who'd cast the curse, her sister.

She mentally shook the thought from her mind. She would not dwell on all of that right now.

Instead she focused on her surroundings.

'You know,' she put the bowl of soup on the floor next to her. 'you don't have to live in the forest, I am still the mayor of some sort.' She paused for a moment, unsure of what that exactly entailed now.

'I could find a place for you and your men to stay.' Her eyes travelled to Roland. The boy sat in the center of the camp next to a sturdy looking male. His bright intelligent eyes watchful while the man next to him examined his arrows by the light of the fire in front of him.

'I appreciate the offer,' Robin said as he settled himself next to Regina. His side touched hers while they shared the tree for support. It made her uncomfortable for some reason, but she ignored her body's reaction. Instead she forced herself to look at him as he carefully sipped from his own bowl of soup without a spoon.

'but the forest is our home. We belong here.'

'It's no place for a child.' She challenged.

'It's the only place for Roland, it's all he's ever known.' Robin resolutely spoke.

And as though he sensed they were talking about him, the little boy looked up from his place at the fire, stood and ran toward them as quickly as his little feet could carry him.

'Look what Much made _me_.' He exclaimed. His eyes bright with excitement as he held out an arrow solely carved out of wood. He indicated for Regina to take it and as her hand clasped around the arrow the boy followed suit and dropped himself into her lap.

The impulse surprised her and the sudden impact of his lightweight on her lap made her gasp, but all she could do was laugh out loud as he settled himself on her lap. His little legs wrapped themselves around her waist and for a moment she just looked at him; amazed.

It had been a long time since she'd held a five year old. And an even longer time since a child had responded so spontaneously in her presence.

'An arrow!' he shrieked even louder, quite pleased with an object that would mean so very little to any other child in this land.

Robin observed them carefully. The way Regina's entire demeanor relaxed the moment Roland jumped into her lap had surprised him. An Evil Queen with a soft spot for children? He wondered at that revelation. Did she have a child of her own? But then why would she keep that from the world? The answer instantly came to him; Zelena.

Regina examined the wooden toy, its point looked dull and harmless enough, but she still considered it a less than suitable toy for a child. She refrained from saying so. It was not her place. Yet, as she looked at Roland's face so close to hers she could not help but feel weirdly protective of the child. Everything about him was familiar, from his deep brown eyes to the tips of his small fingers.

Had she met him before?

For the first time since she'd ended up back in Storybrooke she truly wondered about that lost year and whether she had lost people she had met during that time. She turned her head to the side, where she found Robin's eyes gently trained on his son.

'- and then he would count a lot of numbers and I would hide.' She caught the end of Roland's story as he'd been explaining the concept of hide-and-seek to her.

She seriously nodded and frowned deeply.

'And he would find you?' she inquired.

'After a veeeeeeery looooong time.' Roland exaggerated, spreading his arms out wide. He lost his grip on the arrow and without thinking Regina caught it with her magic. It hovered above Robin's lap. Roland let out an excited screech. Robin only stared, his expression solemn as he studied the hovering toy. She released the hold she held over it and the arrow dropped into his hand. They stared at each other for a moment. His expression unreadable and she was unsure what he was trying to convey aside from his obvious dislike of magic, but then the moment was lost and Robin turned his attention back to his son.

'It's time for bed little man.'

'No!' The boy cried, as though he could simply reject the notion with the power of will alone.

Robin gave his son a stern look, stood up and lifted Roland off of Regina's lap. Part of her instantly regretted the loss of the infectious warmth that had swelled her heart when the boy had so carelessly and devoid of fear jumped into her lap. She didn't linger on that feeling for very long as she amusedly watched Roland, who wildly started kicking the air with his feet; close to a tantrum. She smiled brightly and for a moment a memory of Henry around the same age consumed her thoughts. Like Roland he loathed his bedtime and always managed to find a way to postpone the inevitable until he'd exhausted his every resource.

She always let him push her to the limit. It was that fire within him that made her love him so very deeply. It was also what made her lose him in the end. She swallowed hard, the happiness she had felt a few moments ago replaced with an aching longing for her own son. He was so close and yet farther away from her than he'd ever been before.

She watched Robin and Roland retreat; the boy sadly waved his hand, by now having accepted the futileness of his resistance. She grinned and waved back.

Robin turned around motioning for her to remain where she was, his eyes communicating that he intended to come back, to see her off.

She checked the time. It was a little past 7. Still early enough, she decided, as she let herself relax. The warmth of the fire in front of her invaded her senses. She closed her eyes, just for a moment. She did not intend to drift off, but the sudden overwhelming tiredness in combination with a severe lack of sleep was stronger and she slipped away before she could even properly fight the sleep that consumed her.

* * *

When he found her slumped against the tree her head lolled to the side, a lock of dark hair obscuring half her face, he just watched her for a few moments. She looked almost peaceful and he marveled at her ability to fall asleep against a tree. She was a royal after all, royals were used to comfortable mattresses and soft pillows, not… trees. She must have been awfully tired.

As he kneeled down to wake her a deep sigh escaped her lips and he hesitated. It sounded content almost, as if a great heavy weight had lifted off of her shoulders along with that singular sigh. Now that he was kneeling so close to her it was hard not to stare at the expression on her unguarded face. She could not hide behind a façade in her sleep. What he now saw was what she was. It fascinated him more than he cared to admit.

His hand reached out and he softly pushed the stray lock of black hair behind her ear. He traced the tips of his fingers down the side of her face and then momentarily paused over the spot where the cut had been. He felt her skin there, searching for some sort of imperfection, finding none.

'Stunning.' He heard himself whisper, remembering Rumpelstiltskin's letter to Cora. Though it had been about Zelena, he marveled at the inaccuracy of it all. There was nothing stunning about the Wicked Witch.

He sighed and his hand fell away from her face, with a heavy heart he sat down next to her. He needed a few more moments.

As he glanced back at the camp, his eyes met Arthur's, the expression on the man's face told him he'd been a silent witness to the impromptu exchange between Robin and the sleeping Queen.

Obviously, Arthur did not approve.

Bittered Robin turned away and looked down at Regina again. Her head resting against the tree, only inches from his shoulder.

He couldn't help himself.

Fascinated he reached out again and slowly traced his thumb over her upper lip. He lingered on the scar that lay clearly visible between her nose and lip there, and he wondered how she'd got it and why she hadn't just used her magic to get rid of it.

As though she felt his touch, she steered, her body moving toward him. He raised his arms, afraid she would wake. He made sure not to touch her, but it was as though she felt his presence - his warmth - and without any encouragement on his part one of her hands fell across his torso and in her sleep, she shifted her head on top of his chest. For a moment he just stared at the top of her head. He wondered whether she wasn't secretly awake and had moved on purpose. The thought only pestered him for a moment; then he realized it did not matter. In fact, maybe it could even work in his benefit. For a moment, as he'd absentmindedly studied the sleeping Queen, he'd forgotten why he had invited her to the camp. Roland. He had to remember that she was here for one purpose and one purpose only. He needed her love. For Roland's sake. For his heart.

He relaxed and slid his arm down her frame to the small of her back. The act seemed to encourage her and subconsciously she moved even closer, resting the entirety of her weight on his chest. He wished he could say he hated the feel of her presence so close to his. He wished his insides remained cold and aloof. But he couldn't and it didn't. He softly rested his chin on top of her head and closed his eyes.

In truth, she felt like home.

* * *

**I actually did some research for this chapter where Robin's merry men are concerned. All the names I used are based on the names of the actual band of merry men and while I was researching his band of thieves, I actually found out that Will Scarlet from Once Upon A Time In Wonderland was originally really part of Robin Hood's band! I didn't know that! How cool is that? You're all probably like, yeah.. we knew that. But I didn't, so I felt quite excited there for a moment. **

**Sooooo, anyway! Let me know what you think. I really loved writing this chapter, although it was one of the toughest I have written so far for this story. **


	6. Chapter 6: Under Moonlight

**Guys! I'm back! I'm so sorry I went completely AWOL on you for a week. Easter was insane, I hadn't been that busy since Christmas, (and I can tell you Christmas was insane too) there were so many tourists in our town this Easter weekend, C-R-A-Z-Y. But I'm back - for the moment - with a new chapter. **

**Just a little warning, these next few chapters may become a little confusing since some of it is canon based and some of it isn't. But just read it, go with it and if you have any questions don't hesitate to message me. My schedule has returned to normal (thank god for that) so I'll most likely answer you within a day! Also, I hope all of you had an amazing Easter! ;) And again, thank you all so much for your unwavering support. I still get new followers every single day and it sincerely amazes me! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 6: Under Moonlight**

A combination of bone deep cold and incessant pain in her kinked muscles ultimately forced her back to consciousness. It took a while for her to make sense of where or even when she was and it wasn't until she noticed the rhythmic beating of a heart beneath her ear accompanied by the steady rise and fall of a chest, that she realized she wasn't resting her head on a pillow. She tensed. How had she ended up in his arms?

Gently, as not to wake him, she tried to extract herself from his embrace.

'It isn't quite morning, yet.'

He startled her and as his bright wide eyes met hers, she realized that he'd probably been awake since no sign of fatigue lay in his features. Why had she been asleep, then? Time. She'd lost all sense of it. She was supposed to meet Emma tonight.

Fully awake now she quickly reached for her phone. Five missed calls. She mentally reprimanded herself for putting the device on silent. She'd forgotten all about it. Now it didn't matter anymore, it was too late to practice magic at this hour; the Charmings were surely fast asleep. With a heavy sigh she dropped the phone back in her pocket and consciously leaned against the tree out of his reach.

Robin watched her intently as a small amount of guilt welled up inside of him.

'I'm sorry, m'lady, you looked so exhausted I couldn't quite find it in my heart to wake you.' He apologized.

She couldn't quite suppress the smile that formed on her lips at his choice of words, and even though part of her wanted to scold him for distracting her from her training with Emma there lay such uplifting kindness in the depths of his eyes that it was impossible to feel anything but gratitude. Usually, nobody cared whether she slept, ate or even tended to herself.

'No, you were right. I needed it.' She gave him a small reassuring smile. The guilt promptly slipped from his features and for a moment she wondered if he felt it too. That irresistible pull. From the moment they'd met, even before she found out about –

Her eyes wandered to where his arms now lay motionless in his lap. By the light of the moon peeking through the canopies above she could just make out the lion tattoo.

'I should go.'

Her words were so sudden and abrupt, it confused him. She made to stand but he reflectively reached out and pulled her back to him.

'Wait!'

The act caught her off-balance and as his arms caught her and quickly slid around her waist, she felt an irrepressible rush of warmth spread through her entire body. He was so unbelievably close. She swallowed hard and a deep-set longing pushed its way to the front, but it was gone just as fast, replaced by the Queen's mask the instant she realized what she let slide.

But he caught the emotion and recognized it before it completely disappeared from her features.

And as though spellbound, he moved closer. His lips only a breath away from hers, not quite touching but inappropriately close nonetheless. He had not planned for this to happen, he didn't quite know what it was that had made him pull her back but now he needed to know. Determined, his lips softly brushed against hers. Her body froze in response. She was even less prepared. A thousand conflicting thoughts battled inside her mind, it took her a moment to shift through them but then she relaxed and it instantly became apparent which thought conquered them all.

As she tossed all logic aside her lips split apart. Encouraged he immediately pressed her closer. She gasped not quite prepared for the desire his touch invoked inside her, but he merely took advantage of her response and deepened the kiss, his lips pressing closer to hers with every new breath she took.

Her hand moved up to his cheek, and a surge of uninhibited hunger swept through him. It had been a long time since he'd felt anything for a woman. It surprised him. He'd only just met her, yet she felt so familiar, the way her lips brushed against his, her hand on his cheek, moving down to his neck, as though he could anticipate every new touch. More. He desired more. His hand slipped from her back and -

'Daddy!'

Startled they broke apart, their heads simultaneously turned in the direction of the camp where Roland's cry had woken half the men already.

Another muffled scream and a loud sob immediately followed.

'Nightmare.' Robin reluctantly whispered as he turned his attention back to her. For a moment he studied her. Her eyes avoided his.

'Daddy!' Roland cried again. He placed a hand on her cheek. Bewildered her eyes shot up. She seemed a million miles away.

'I'll be right back.' He said, almost as concerned about her response as he was about Roland's reoccurring nightmares. In an effort to reassure her he caressed the skin beneath his fingers, but she was nonresponsive. He could not to deal with that now, Roland needed him. He stood up and quickly crossed the camp to where his son's loud wails had now turned into soft helpless moans.

Regina stared after him.

If she'd had any doubts about the power of pixie dust, it'd completely disappeared now.

He truly was her soul mate.

An all too familiar feeling of panic consumed her. She rose and with a last unsteady glance in the direction of the camp she disappeared between the foliage.

* * *

As she decided to follow the forest path back to Storybrooke rather than magic herself back home, she tried not to think about what had transpired moments ago. It couldn't happen, it created too much of a distraction. If her sister caught wind of this.

No. She had no choice. A different voice inside her head battled the voice of reason, or the one she believed belonged to reason. These were not excuses to stave off happiness, she tried to convince herself. She really couldn't involve herself with him.

Too consumed by her thought she didn't notice the sounds of crackling leaves and breaking twigs around her, and when strong hands yanked her from the forest path and pushed her up against a tree, she was unprepared. Not fast enough to respond, she felt the tip of a cold blade press hard against her throat. The eyes of the man in front her; such a bright blue they almost glowed in the moonlight.

Arthur.

His expression looked similar to that of a wild animal ready to move in for the kill.

'I have dreamt about this moment for a _very_ long time.' Arthur lowly whispered, his face so close to hers that the foul smell of his breath hit her senses with every new exhale. She turned her face away in disgust.

'Robin is wrong about you.' He continued. 'You've put him under some sort of spell. But I _know_.' He reached out his free hand and forced her to look at him again.

'I know what you _really_ are.'

'Then tell me, what am I?' She challenged through gritted teeth. Not a bone in her body could ever fear this repulsive man. Although she had to admit that part of her could not help but admire his courage; yet, the admiration did not outweigh his stupidity that was enlarged by his all-consuming desire for revenge. Revenge for what, she didn't know, but in the end it was _always_ about revenge with them.

'You killed her.'

And there it was.

'You and that Rumpelstiltskin. If only she'd listened to me. I knew you were bad news even back then.'

She hadn't the faintest idea who he was talking about. She'd killed so many faceless people in her early years training under Rumpelstiltskin, even more so after, that they all looked the same, smelt the same, felt the same. She'd managed to banish most of her victims from her mind. It was easier to think of them as insects or insignificant animals the world could live without rather than people. It made the weight of their absence easier to bear. It occurred to her that Arthur probably saw her that way too. A mere insect that needed to be exterminated. But she wasn't faceless. She was his obsession. Like Snow had been hers.

'And now you're going to kill me.' She stated, her voice devoid of emotion.

He faltered. The words sounded hard. Definite. He had never killed a person for pleasure before, she could tell. He'd only blackened his heart out of necessity. To survive, and he regretted every single kill. He was weak. She felt the weight of the blade against her throat slacken ever so slightly but it was all the encouragement she needed.

With a flick of her hand Arthur skidded across the path and crashed with his back into a tree on the other side. She gave him no time to recover as her outstretched hand magically lifted him off of the ground. She turned her attention to his throat. A thrill of excitement shot through her body. He'd given her enough reason to kill him. Nothing would satisfy her more than to squeeze the life out of him and watch the light slowly fade from his eyes.

Unlike her, he panicked. His body trashed with fear as he clutched at his throat. Every new breath he took more painful than the next.

'Not so tough now.' She said, unable to keep the glee out of her voice. This was familiar. Part of her had missed watching the fear appear in the eyes of the unfortunate few who tried to challenge her. Part of her still struggled to be good _all _the time when the darkness still tasted so very delicious. If she just squeezed a little harder.

'Regina!'

She recognized his voice before she saw him and as she whirled her head around her eyes widened in surprise. He was not alone. He'd brought Roland. She noted how the boy's wide tearful eyes continuously flashed between her and Arthur. The latter still hung in the air, his feeble trashing growing less convincing with each passing second.

'Regina, Stop.' Robin warned, his expression stern. Bone deep anger lied in its depths.

For a split second she was tempted to kill the merry man anyway. '_What does it matter?'_, the darkness inside her screamed. _'He's seen what you are, he could never love you now!_', it mocked. But she couldn't. Not in front of a child.

She let go.

Arthur crashed down and as she watched the man fight his way back to consciousness, sounds of coughing combined with terrible wheezing broke the silent night air. She expected Roland to run to him. To embrace the man he considered family. She imagined the boy would now forevermore shrink from her, like all people did after she revealed her true nature.

In truth, he surprised them all.

He ran to her.

His little arms reached for her and as she tried to push the shock from her face, she bend down and lifted him off of his feet. His arms circled her neck, hugging her tightly.

'Don't be sad.' He looked at her.

She hadn't realized until now that an actual tear had pushed its way past one of her lids. It slid down her cheek but before it could fall Roland reached out and caught it. He examined the drop like only a five year old could. His expression earnest.

'Arthur!'

Robin had reached the man who was still in the process of regaining full control over his breathing.

'What the hell happened?!' He angrily questioned the merry man.

Arthur struggled to look up at his leader.

'She –' he pointed at her and took in a deep breath. It was painful to watch even for her.

'tried -' He took in another breath. Death would surely have been less excruciating than watching this.

'to -' She wondered if it hurt more than actual suffocation.

'kill -'

And with a final breath.

'me!'

Robin looked up at Regina. Her expression cold as she considered Arthur's words, and he knew what he'd seen and had been told was only half the story.

'Get back to the camp, Arthur.'

He helped the man up, maybe a little too harshly. He didn't appreciate liars among his men. He would deal with that later.

As he watched the man hobble and splutter out of sight, he felt a terrible weight fall on him. He knew exactly what had happened. Arthur's story was an all too familiar one. In fact, every single person he knew had been touched by the Queen's old wrath in some way or another. She used to be the Evil Queen after all and she had done terrible things. One of those things had been a member of Arthur's family.

'He attacked you.' Robin stated.

'Yes.' She confirmed.

He nodded and turned to look at her. She tightly held Roland to her chest, the coldness now gone from her eyes. He could see how his son was dozing off, his head on her shoulder and it occurred to Robin that there truly was not a safer place for his boy to fall asleep than in her arms.

'Her name was Shauna.' He finally said as his eyes traveled back to her face. 'She was Arthur's sister.'

She bit her lip, her expression mournful as she realized whom Robin was talking about.

'I'm sorry.' Genuine regret lay in her eyes and he wondered if she remembered Shauna.

'I know.' His lips curved into a sad smile.

'How?' She looked confused, another tear slid past her grasp.

He frowned.

'I don't –'

'How do you know? Why are you so kind to me? I don't deserve your sympathy if you know what I did – what I was just about to do.'

He shook his head and approached her, but she took a step backward as more tears fell from her eyes. She did not need his pity. She did not long for comfort. She was stronger than that.

'Everybody deserves a second chance. I'm not interested in who you were, Regina.' He whispered.

'I see you.' He tentatively took a step closer. She did not move away this time. More tears slid down her cheeks, but her eyes remained fixed on his.

'The person you are now is not the person you used to be.'

A sob slipped past her lips before she could contain it. His arms found a way around her, enveloping her in a hug, Roland in between them. She rested her head in the crook of his neck. Maybe longing for comfort wasn't a lack of strength after all.

A few minutes past between them, he softly stroked her back while she slowly pieced herself back together again.

'I was wondering.' He broke the silence.

'Would it be alright if you took Roland for the night?'

Surprised she looked up, a question forming in her eyes.

'I have to deal with Arthur and I'd rather Roland not be there when I do. And since he's taken such a liking to you -'

'Yes.' She nodded. 'Of course.'

Robin smiled.

'Thank you.'

* * *

**Oh my God! You have no idea how much I struggled with this chapter. I kept going back to the first part. I edited it so many times and I still feel like it's utter crap, but there you have it. I did what I could. Sometimes you just gotta have to accept that continuous editing is not the way. I'd love to hear what you think, though! Don't hesitate to tell me! I love feedback, even if it's negative!**

**Since I know exactly where I want to go with this story, the next few chapters will be more plot based than the last two were, but I promise you, there'll be plenty of Outlaw Queen to come. It's just, I really do want this story to have an actual plot. So there. Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear some theories of what you think I'm going do with this story. I actually have the ending all planned out, just don't quite know when it will appear, but it's definitely out there. **

**I'm so sorry I haven't messaged half of you back, yet. All the time I had left this week I spend writing. I will reply to any outstanding messages tomorrow! As ever, thank you so much for your support. You guys are amazing! **


	7. Chapter 7: The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz

**In honor of Kingsday; I present to you Chapter 7! It's quite a long chapter and it literally took me three days to write and edit, but to be honest, I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out. I'd love to hear what you think and as ever thank you for reading ;)!**

* * *

**Chapter 7: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz**

When he entered the clearing he found that instead of the soft sounds of snoring he'd expected the camp was alive with whispered chattering. A new fire had been lit and all his men stood gathered around Arthur. The man had regained full control over his vocal faculties again and he was animatedly in the process of describing his encounter with the Evil Queen. Robin knew, because he heard him speak her name, a mere whisper on a breeze, filled with revulsion.

The moment Arthur's eyes caught Robin's he fell silent and all heads immediately turned to see their approaching leader.

'Where is Roland?' Nasir instantly inquired, the first to speak and always the first to notice anything.

'With the Queen.'

Disbelief appeared in all of the men's faces as they looked from one to the other. _'How could their leader be so careless with his son?'_ the expressions in their eyes seemed to say.

'You let that evil sorceress take him after what she did to me?!' Arthur exclaimed, ever the first to voice the thoughts of the entire group.

'After what she did to you?!' Robin snapped as he angrily started toward Arthur. A couple of men quickly jumped aside, Robin's rage wasn't something one would want to get in the way of.

Arthur stood his ground.

'She tried to kill me! You saw it with your own eyes!'

'After you attacked her!' Robin promptly retorted.

He'd expected Arthur to come clean, to at least speak some version of the truth. He deserved more than a lie from the man he'd risked his life for on countless, possible lethal occasions. But Arthur remained silent, his resolve hard. He'd never seen the man behave in such an erratic way before. Why? Robin wondered. Why couldn't he just explain? Robin could understand his desire for revenge, he could even find it in his heart to forgive the man, but only if he told the entire story, if he told the truth.

'I saw you.' He spat, disgust clearly visible in his face.

'Before she left,' He nodded in the direction of the tree Robin had shared with Regina earlier that evening.

'I saw how _you_ kissed her.'

Sharp intakes of breath travelled around him, all the men stared at Robin in disbelief, betrayal clearly visible in their eyes. It was one thing to invite the Queen for dinner, but to initiate something as intimate as a kiss with a known murderer? The Evilest Queen ever to have ruled in the Enchanted Forest? Unthinkable.

In the past they'd shamelessly stolen from her without remorse because beside the fact that she was a royal they'd heard the stories, and they'd come across her victims and their families. They'd buried innocent men that had been butchered by her black knights in her name. How could Robin Hood involve himself with a woman like that?

'Is this true?' Friar Tuck calmly extracted himself from the group and stepped closer to Robin.

'Yes.' He simply stated.

Friar Tuck shook his head.

'Robin -'

'No!' He raised his voice. They did not have the right to lecture him on what was ethically right and what was ethically wrong. Not now.

He turned his attention back to Arthur, his eyes ablaze as he readdressed the man.

'_You_ came after her, Arthur. _You_ attacked her and she responded in kind to protect herself. If you want to blame anyone for almost getting killed tonight, then blame _yourself_.'

Arthur scowled at him. Not a hint of regret or guilt lay in his eyes and even though Robin didn't want to understand, he did.

Robin had betrayed Arthur when he'd kissed his mortal enemy. He'd known about his sister, what Regina had done, and he had ignored all of it when he'd invited her into their midst.

He'd been selfish.

For a moment he wished he could tell his friend why he'd done it. That Roland's life was at stake and that getting close to her, inviting her, had been done out of necessity rather than chivalry. But he couldn't. Because by now, it had become more complicated than that.

'Leave.' Robin stoically ordered.

Arthur's expression morphed into shock.

'W-what?' He stuttered.

'You heard me.' Robin said.

'Leave.'

'Robin, be reasonable.'

Friar Tuck came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder, but Robin shook his head. If he had to choose between Roland and Arthur, his son would _always_ come first and in this case that meant Regina had to come first.

'I cannot trust a man who shows no remorse nor takes responsibilities for his own actions.' He continued.

'And how can you expect me to honor our friendship when you don't extend me the same courtesy? When you wanted to kill a woman I care about? How can I possibly call you my friend any longer, Arthur?'

Arthur's expression turned blank. If he had any regrets, now was the time for him to speak, but he remained silent and simply nodded, accepting his faith without defiance. He may not agree with Robin but like all the merry men he was still an honorable man.

He turned away, gathered his belongs and moments later they all watched him disappear down the forest path, a lone figure swallowed whole by the night. Then he was gone.

'Anyone else?' Robin called, his expression solemn as he spoke.

The men gravely studied him as they considered his words. It was not a threat, they knew as much. In fact, it was the opposite; he was giving them an out, an opportunity to defy him without any hard feelings. Up until that evening they'd all seen eye to eye, all of their goals and plans for the future had been the same. Now their leader had introduced a complication into the group and suddenly their priorities had shifted. Could they accept the Evil Queen into their midst?

For a long moment nobody moved, then slowly Alan extracted himself from the group; he gave Robin an apologetic look, gathered his belongings and disappeared down the path after Arthur.

They all stared after him. Arthur and Alan were best friends, it was not a big surprise that he'd decided to join him rather than stay with the group. The rest remained hesitant. Torn between their loyalties to Robin and their hatred for the Queen. But in the end nobody else left. Most of them slowly turned away from the path. Some sat down near the fire, absentmindedly gazing into the flames as they pondered the loss of two of their finest men. Others lied down where they'd previously been fast asleep and attempted to resume that particular activity.

Robin heavily sat down in front of the fire on the opposite side. Defeated he poked a stick into the flames. This was not how he'd planned for the night to end. His merry band of men torn apart by a single act of selfishness. He wanted to blame the Wicked Witch, but he knew that he'd been partly responsible for what had gone down himself.

Friar Tuck sat down next to him and sighed deeply.

'I sincerely hope you know what you're doing, Robin.' He held the man's gaze for a while; concern shone in its depths.

'I pray you are not mistaken about her.'

* * *

In a flurry of purple and black smoke she appeared directly in front of her house. For a moment she lingered on the feeling, such a rush, she didn't appreciate her magical abilities enough anymore. If Roland had been awake, he surely would have enjoyed the buzz, but the boy slept on, his figure limp against her chest. She slowly started toward the front door.

'Regina!'

Alarmed she looked up.

'Snow?'

'Oh thank God.' The woman replied as Regina watched her struggle to get up from the steps that led to the front door.

'What are you doing here?'

'We thought something had happened to you. Emma told us you were supposed to meet this evening but when you didn't pick up your phone –' she trailed, her eyes landing on Roland.

'Who's this?' She waddled down the steps, a deep frown on her face as she examined the sleeping figure in Regina's arms.

'Where'd you?' Shock replaced confusion as she looked up at Regina.

'I didn't kill his family and kidnap him if that's what you're asking.'

'I wasn't -'

'His name is Roland, he's Robin Hood's son.' She continued.

Snow's eyes widened.

'Emma mentioned him.'

'Yes, well -' She frowned, remembering the circumstances under which Emma had met the boy. She wondered how that conversation had gone.

'How long have you been here?' Her eyes travelled to Snow's protruding belly. She didn't know much about pregnancies, but sitting on the steps to her front door in the middle of the night could not be an advisable activity for a heavily pregnant woman.

'A couple of hours.'

Regina stared.

'Why is Roland with you?' Snow quickly continued, ignoring the pain in her back and her stepmother's astonished expression.

Maybe she had been a little too overly concerned after all. David surely hadn't been a supporter of the idea but if she couldn't help them look for Regina then she sure as hell wasn't going to sit at home twiddling her thumbs all by herself. At least waiting had seemed like a viable alternative.

'It's a long story.' She avoided Snow's eyes and her stepdaughter knew better than to press the subject.

A beat later Regina brushed past her and ascended the steps to her front door. Her key clicked into the lock and the door swung open. Snow remained where she stood, unsure of whether she should follow Regina or go home.

'Come.' Regina beckoned when she noticed the younger woman hesitating. 'You'll catch your death out there.'

Surprised Snow considered the invitation, bearing in mind that Zelena and Rumpelstiltskin hadn't been seen or heard from since the witch fight, she did feel a little reluctant to walk home all by herself. If only she hadn't forgotten her cellphone she could have called someone to come pick her up. It frustrated her how forgetful pregnancies made her. After a moment she nodded and with some effort she followed Regina inside.

'I'm just going to put Roland to bed.' Regina said as she locked the door behind Snow. 'I'll be right back.' She motioned to the living room, indicating that Snow should make herself comfortable rather than remain in the hallway.

'Could I maybe use your house phone first?' She motioned at her coat pockets. 'I forgot mine and David, Emma and the others are still looking for you. They should know you're safe'

Regina nodded. It was hard for her to ignore how oddly touched she felt by their concern for her wellbeing. Twice now, in one evening, she'd been shown the type of kindness that had not been a part of her life since Daniel was alive.

She swallowed hard.

'Snow.'

The pregnant woman expectantly looked up, cradling the phone between her shoulder and neck.

'Thank you.' Regina seriously said.

Snow gave her a puzzled look, but received no further explanation as Regina started ascending the stairs to the top floor.

She stared after her.

* * *

While Regina was putting Roland to bed, Snow had made herself comfortable on the living room couch and busily admired the different objects located all around her. As she scanned the room she wondered if the curse had taken personal taste into account when it had created Storybrooke. The portrait of a blindfolded horse above the fireplace especially intrigued her, what on earth did Regina like about it?

'Tea?'

As if on cue the woman walked into the room and as Snow turned around her eyes landed on the two mugs Regina held, one in each hand. Snow smiled and contentedly reached for a mug.

'Thank you.' She said as she carefully took a sip and swallowed. As the taste registered in her mind she immediately looked up in alarm.

'Apple?!' A slight hint of panic lay in her voice.

'Technically, it's cinnamon apple,' Regina calmly answered as she took a sip of her own mug and sat down in a chair on the opposite side of the coffee table. 'but you're right, the cinnamon in this tea is rather hard to detect.'

Snow's eyes widened and she quickly put the mug down. She'd never really been able to appreciate the taste of apples anymore since the last one she'd eaten.

'Relax, Snow, if I wanted to curse you again, I wouldn't use something _quite_ as tacky as apple flavored tea.' Regina coolly said, taking another sip.

Snow nodded, only partly reassured. She wondered how it was possible that for some reason it always seemed _im_possible to avoid apples around Regina in one form or the other.

A moment of silence fell between the women as neither one of them knew what to say. They'd never been big on small talk. Snow stared at her hands.

As the silence stretched she internally groaned. It would be another hour and a half at least, before David came to pick her up. He'd told her that Emma and him had to track down all the people who were still looking for Regina first. They were supposed to reconvene at 1 a.m, an hour from now.

Although frustrated by her choice to stay she found a certain amount of comfort in the knowledge that Regina hadn't been taken by the witch. David too had responded relieved. He'd asked her what had happened, but Snow simply told him she didn't know. Omitting the mention of Roland. Of course, she was curious about what had transpired between Robin and Regina that night, but in the end it wasn't her place to speculate or even tell people. In fact, she'd resolved she would not broach the subject, unless Regina gave her reason to.

'Are you any closer to finding out what Zelena is planning to do?'

Regina shook her head.

'Although.' She hesitated. While she'd been training Emma in the woods the previous day a thought had occurred to her. An epiphany, if you'd like, but she wasn't quite sure if she wanted to share the information with another person, yet. Not until she had done some research first, until she was certain.

'What?' Snow asked, unable to suppress the gluttonous wonder that appeared in her eyes.

It couldn't harm.

'It occurred to me that what my sister is after sounded vaguely familiar; David's courage and my heart.' She crossed her legs and carefully considered her next few words.

'It wasn't until today that I figured out where I'd heard it before.'

By now Snow was wildly nodding her head, her eyes wide; Regina wasn't sure she'd ever seen the woman more interested in anything she had ever said before.

'I remembered, that there is more known about my sister in this realm than in any other land; even before my sister was born people had heard of her here.'

Snow looked confused.

Regina held up her hand and stood, her own tea forgotten on the coffee table as she disappeared from the room.

Within a minute she returned, balancing a pile of at least nine to ten books on her arm. With some effort she settled herself next to Snow on the couch and carefully placed the books on the coffee table in front of them.

'Fairy tales?' Snow asked, as her eyes landed on the book that lay on top. She picked it up.

'Grimm's fairy tales.' She softly read out loud.

She flipped the book open where the back had been cracked and bend the most, betraying exactly which story had been read more often than the others. As her eyes fell on the title, she loudly gasped. At the top of the page printed in bold black ink she read her name; Snow White.

Regina glanced at the word for a moment, her expression solemn.

'Don't worry, it ends happily for you.' She turned her attention back to the pile. Grimm wasn't what she was looking for.

'I know this!' Snow exclaimed. Excited she flipped to the next page and stared at an image that looked exactly like her. She had heard about these stories. No, Mary-Margaret had heard about them. But even though she knew the tales, her former self had never spent much time pondering them. She suspected the curse had prevented them all from getting too interested in fairy-tales. In fact, Mary-Margaret had preferred a good detective novel to most anything on any given moment.

'You're in it too!' She cried, remembering what little she knew.

'Yes.' Regina answered coldly, her eyes shifting from a book called 'Thumbelina' to another book titled 'the Snow Queen'; both by the same author. She shook her head. She knew it had to be here somewhere.

'I can't quite remember the ending, though.' Snow frowned. How could she forget the ending of her own fairy-tale?

Regina sighed.

'It involves red-hot iron slippers and my death.' She paused as she considered that brief but brutal ending of Grimm's incorrect version of her life's story.

Snow looked horrified and as Regina pondered the woman's expression she wondered if her actual death would ultimately involve iron-hot slippers in some way or another. Usually these stories managed to get certain details right.

'Truth be told the animated movie was less gruesome.' She assured as she turned back to the books in front of her and softly started flipping through one simply titled; 'Fairy Tales.'

'There's a movie?!' Snow looked incredulous.

'There are several, actually. They never seem completely satisfied with how I die. In fact, they discover new and innovative methods each time.'

Aghast Snow closed the book and put it aside. Maybe it was best if she stayed oblivious.

'I knew about these stories.' She speculated out loud. 'But I never gave them much thought. How is this even possible?'

Surprised Regina halted her search again and fully turned her attention to Snow. She gravely considered the woman's words as she observed the deep-set confusion and conflict that lay in her features. Snow truly didn't know.

'Magic finds a way to seep through the cracks.' Regina explained.

'In its most basic form it is nothing more than a simple uncontrolled thought.'

As if to prove her point she stretched out her hand and magically lifted Snow's tea mug into the air. It hovered between them. Snow looked at it, not quite sure if she understood what Regina was trying to say.

'See? Magic makes the mug float, but my thought controls the magic. A controlled thought makes magic. An uncontrolled one is simple a thought. And in this world where magic can't be controlled by the ones who would otherwise possess the gift in our world, a single thought, caught by a gifted person, turns into that.' She motioned her head to the books then she relaxed her hand and the mug softly landed in place on the coffee table again.

'In this world, we are nothing more than stories preserved by magic. We float through the cracks, enter the correct peoples minds and we end up there; in ink and forever preserved on paper.'

Snow's expression instantly shifted from confusion to amazement as she tried to comprehend what it all meant.

'But these stories aren't true.' She countered. 'Well, some of the details are; some of the names, the places, the people, but the rest. And what about time? Some of these fairy-tales are centuries old and were written before most of us were even born, yet.'

'Time's not linear. People's lives are.' Regina simply stated as though that explained it all.

'Magic floats between time and realms and most of the gifted people in this land only catch glimpses of the stories. Also, almost all of these fairy-tales are tainted by independent thought. That's why they continuously change.' Regina sighed as if annoyed.

Snow shook her head. It was too incredible to wrap her mind around.

'What has got all of this' she motioned to the books, remembering the reason why Regina had left the room to retrieve them. 'to do with Zelena, then?' But before her stepmother could reply, the answer immediately formed on her lips.

'She appears in one of these stories!'

'Yes.' Regina confirmed as her hands landed on the book she'd been looking for.

_The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum_.

Her stomach clenched as her eyes traveled over the cover. It had been years since she'd last read this story. It was one of the first she'd bought right after she cast the curse over 30 years ago. She barely remembered it.

Too consumed by her own unsettled thoughts Snow failed to notice Regina's sudden change in demeanor. Her bladder was killing her and she truly needed a moment to process the information Regina had bombarded her with just now. She moved to stand up.

'Excuse me, I need to use your bathroom for a minute. That sip of tea went right down.' She joked. Regina absentmindedly nodded, only half registering Snow's retreating form.

She flipped the book open and scanned the first few pages, the edges had yellowed over the years, the book smelled old and worn, yet, she'd only ever read it once. She felt how her heart beat just a little faster as she turned another page and started reading.

By the time Snow returned her concern for her heart had doubled.

A brain.

That was the third element Zelena was looking for. She was sure of it, but whose brain? She looked up from the book and absentmindedly watched Snow waddle back to the couch.

'Did you find it?' She inquired as she caught Regina's worried expression.

'Oh yes.' Regina confirmed. She swallowed hard. Another thought had just occurred to her. Her eyes traveled to Snow's belly, remembering Zelena's interest in the unborn child.

'Is it a boy or a girl?' She promptly asked.

Startled Snow gave Regina a defiant look; the change of subject caught her off guard.

'We want to keep it a surprise.'

'But you know.' Regina stated, not fooled by Snow's words.

'Well, not for sure.'

'You know.' She pressed on.

'Well, uh, yes.' Snow finally conceded. 'But David doesn't and I don't want to –'

'It's important. A boy or a girl?'

Snow hesitated; the look in Regina's eyes scared her.

'A girl.' She finally admitted.

'What's her name?' Regina felt her heart beat double.

'Now I don't think –'

'Oh for the love of God, forget Charming, what is her name, Snow?'

Snow shook her head. She'd picked out a name weeks ago but she hadn't discussed it with David, yet. She'd figured they could go through the process of picking a name together and then when she was born she would casually suggest the one she preferred. He'd missed out on that process with Emma and she knew how much he had wanted to be a part of that. She'd decided to throw him a bone, but now, what with Regina looking at her in such a fearful way.

She bit her lip before she spoke.

'Dorothy. Her name is Dorothy.'

* * *

**BAM! I hope that surprised you! *****Wipes sweat off brow*. This was quite possibly the longest chapter I have ever written in my life for anything.**

**I'd really love to hear what you think!**

**I know I forced a pregnant woman to sit on a couple of stone steps for two hours in the middle of the night, and I also know that there wasn't ANY Outlaw Queen in this chapter, but I did warn you it would be a little bit more plot based. I promise next chapter will contain Outlaw Queen. I will probably update again on Monday or Tuesday, it kind of depends on my schedule! Hope you enjoyed this! ^^! And if I confused the hell out of you for some reason don't hesitate to ask questions! I usually respond to everyone who does!**


	8. Chapter 8: Conflicted

**So this chapter is maybe 10% plot based and 90% fluffffff and this chapter is also late! I know! I'm sorry, guys. That little annoying sabotaging voice in my head popped up this week and started convincing me that my writing is crap, like it always does whenever I attempt fic's beyond a single chapter. I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me! I'm trying my best to get past it! Hopefully the next chapter will be longer. ;) **

**Enjoy! **

* * *

**Chapter 8: Conflicted**

His right hand determinedly pulled the bowstring taut, while his left strongly held onto the handle. Both eyes open, his hands steady, he aimed, released and without a second glance inserted another arrow, pulled, aimed for the same spot, released. This time he watched. The second arrow zoomed through the air and as it arrived at its target, it split right through the first arrow. His arrows never missed its mark.

Robin sighed.

He had spent most of the night wandering around the woods, shooting game and using trees for target practice in the dark. The dark never stopped him. If he hadn't already perfected the art of archery then he had done so tonight. He'd split more arrows in two than he could count, his mind less on the activity than on the troubles, wearing him down. He went back and forth between all that had happened and was still about to happen, never quite finding a solution. Roland, his men, Regina, Zelena. Roland, his men, Regina, Zelena. It was a vicious cycle of people trapping him between doing what was right and doing what was wrong.

What about what he wanted?

'You disappoint me.'

He swiftly turned around, aimed, and immediately released the arrow. _He wanted her dead_. It zoomed right at her heart, and for just a split second he thought that maybe it would kill her. But she was faster, unlike her sister who managed to catch arrows in midair, this one turned to dust before it could pierce her through the heart.

She looked more amused than angry.

'If I didn't know any better I'd say you did that on purpose.'

He remained defiantly quiet.

She stepped closer.

'I don't have time for games, forest boy. It's been two days and you're no closer to wining my sister's heart than I am to owning it.'

'I can't force her to love me.' He bit back.

'Try harder.' Was her cold reply.

'You're asking me to speed up a very delicate process. I can't guarantee she will ever fall in love with me.'

'You'd better figure out a way before Snow White's baby is due. I won't have much use for your son's heart after that and I _always_ make good on my promises. The question is; do you?'

Defeated his posture sagged a little. His shoulders slumped and a sudden tiredness consumed him, all his anger and resistance gone.

'I'll make it happen.'

She smiled.

'There's a good pet.'

* * *

When he rang her doorbell it was still early, dawn had only just arrived and the sun was slowly climbing the skies, announcing another day. Yet, he knew it was not too early for his son. Normally Roland would be wrecking havoc at the camp around dawn. Besides, Robin hadn't been able to wait any longer. Zelena's unexpected visit made him worry and he needed the reassurance that his boy was still safely with Regina.

After a couple of minutes he heard the lock click and the door opened, a worried expression on her face as soon as she saw him. He looked her over and realized that she was already fully dressed, as though she'd never retired for the night and had spent it awake just like him.

'Robin?' Her voice laced with surprise.

'Good-morning.' He stated.

'You're early.' She frowned. 'Roland isn't awake, yet.' Her eyes studied his face for a few seconds. He wondered if he looked as worn as he felt.

'That's quite all right.' He assured. 'I can wait. May I come in?'

She could tell something was wrong. He saw it in her eyes, but she nodded and stepped aside. As he moved inside the hallway he took a moment to take in his surroundings. People's homes in this realm looked so complex and uncomfortable, yet impressive. There were still many things he didn't understand about this world. He had been told that in the absence of magic, advanced science drove this realm. He didn't quite know what science was, but he figured it was how water came out of the walls and that it was responsible for plastic boxes that transported people's voices across great distances, or boxes with moving, talking pictures in them. At first glance Regina's house contained all of these curious objects he'd only laid his eyes upon a handful of times now.

'What's wrong?' She promptly asked as soon as the door closed behind her.

He sighed.

'I had a bit of a rough night, but I won't bother you with that. I hope Roland didn't give you much trouble last night.'

She smiled and shook her head.

'He slept through the entire night, I checked on him about ten minutes ago, he's still asleep.'

'Curious,' Robin said. 'He's usually up and about around this time.'

'Well, he had quite the night. I suppose he needed the rest.'

Robin nodded and studied her face for a while. She seemed a bit uncomfortable and withdrawn, not quite the way she'd behaved around him the other day. He remembered how they'd parted the previous night, before she'd left the camp. The look in her eye had been absent. If he hadn't known better he could have sworn that she'd been in a mild state of panic, but he'd had to ignore it back then.

He hesitated.

'I realize that I probably owe you an apology.'

'An apology?' She repeated, confused.

'You left when I went to comfort Roland last night. I realize now that maybe I was too presumptuous and that my actions may have made you uncomfortable. I regret I frightened you.'

She stared at him for a few moments. A series of emotions flickered across her face, her eyes almost tearful.

'You didn't frighten me.' She smiled and swallowed in an attempt to push her emotions back behind a mask he recognized as that of the Queen. It intrigued him how often she hid behind that face. He felt drawn to it and involuntarily took a step closer. When he did, she faltered, failed to summon the mask and he knew for sure it was a lie. She was afraid, he could tell. That at least, gave him hope.

She set her teeth and her eyes briefly flickered to his lips; remembering. There was that pull again. The one he tried so hard to deny himself. The one that told him that if he wasn't careful he would fall under her spell. If that happened, he'd not only ruin her life, he'd ruin his own as well. She was doomed, doomed by Zelena. He had to remember that, remain relentlessly focused and goal orientated around her. But it was tough. He liked her more than he cared to admit.

He took another step closer, his hands reaching for her clenched fists, at her sides. He felt her slight tremble when his fingers closed around her palms, his face inches from hers. She didn't look at him, her eyes trained on a point beyond his right shoulder.

'What are you so afraid of?' He wondered out loud.

'I'm not afraid.' She whispered through gritted teeth, still not looking at him. With effort she kept the tears at bay, but he knew it wouldn't take much for her to break.

He didn't understand.

He released her palms and softly closed his arms around her waist instead, enveloping her in a hug.

Just as she had done the night before she froze, at first, but as one of his hands soothingly started rubbing up and down her back, he felt her relax against him. She buried her face in his neck, breathing against his skin and he felt all of the tension seeped from her body, just like the night before.

They stood like that for a while, his guilt growing. A voice in his head informed him that it was time he take it a step further. Reminding him that time was of the essence and that she was in a receptive and vulnerable state right now. He didn't understand why Regina, of all people allowed him to get close, but he figured it was that same attraction he felt for her, the reason why this was easier than he thought it should be.

He pulled back a little, his eyes meeting hers. Her face void from the tears he'd expected to see track down her cheeks. She was stronger than he gave her credit for. Then again, she was known as a relentless Queen, a master at hiding and keeping her emotions at bay.

Without a second thought he pressed his lips to hers. She didn't freeze or fight him now. An eager response awaited him. Her fingers curled around the collar of his jacket, pulling him closer. He reacted in kind, one of his own hands travelling up her neck, his other hand coming around her waist. His fingers clawed at the fabric of her dress there, pulling her closer against his growing desire. She gasped and then a moan slipped from her lips in response, he felt it vibrate against his mouth, fueling his desire.

Evil had never tasted more rewarding.

Finally, when he felt her knees buck he came back to his senses. Reluctantly he pulled back, remembering where they were, but she protested, not quite ready to end what they had started. She briefly pulled him back, her lips recapturing his. A few passionate seconds past, then she pulled back. A smile played on her lips as her eyes met his and he was sure it mirrored his own. He rested his head against hers. A moment of calm contentment past between them, but then just as soon as it had appeared, the happiness slipped away from him.

He'd set himself up for disaster.

* * *

**OK, I think we can safely assume Outlaw Queen has been officially established in this fic now. I'm doubting whether I should add an M rated chapter. I might just pen one down for my own selfish purposes, not sure if I feel comfortable sharing that with the world though, but I will let you know if I will. Other than that, there's way more angst ahead. So if you're in it for the angst! Stick around it's going to be a bumpy ride! ;) Next chapter will be a little more plot based again, but there'll definitely be Outlaw Queen interaction! ;) **


	9. Chapter 9: Heart, Courage, Brain, Baby

**I think this is 50% plot and 50% fluff! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 9: A Heart, Courage, a Brain and a Baby.**

Regina closed the door.

'Dorothy? Are you serious?!'

She hesitantly took a step inside the room and waited. Maybe they hadn't noticed her come in.

'Well, it's a cute name.' Snow huffed, irritably crossing her arms in front of her.

'What if we change her name?' David suggested, carefully avoiding the indignant expression that immediately appeared on Snow's face.

'No.' All heads turned her way, if they truly hadn't noticed her before, they didn't seem surprised to see her now.

'It doesn't matter.' She continued, now fully stepping inside the room. 'The suggestion is there. Just because everybody in this world refers to my sister as Elphaba instead of Zelena that doesn't mean she's not the Wicked Witch of the West. Even if you change your baby's name now your child's destiny has already been pre-determined.'

Snow's expression shifted to anger. She wasn't a supporter of pre-determined destinies, but there was nothing Regina could do about that. Whether the pregnant woman liked it or not her baby was destined to play a role in Zelena's life, just like Emma had been destined to play one in hers.

She briefly recalled Snow's immense surprise as she'd pointed out the similarities between storybook Dorothy, her unborn child and Zelena. It had become obvious that they were linked in a way none of them understood.

Yet.

'It would help if we knew why she wants our child so badly.' David said.

That it would.

'Well, let's go over this again then. What do we know?' Emma determinedly crossed her arms and stood up. She started pacing the room, her thoughts elsewhere.

Regina had gone over the details a million, if not a billion times already. She didn't understand how discussing what they already knew could help them anymore than it had done so far.

'She wants Regina's heart, our baby and she's already got David's courage.' Snow offered.

'Yes.' Emma confirmed. 'And you two figured out that she's also looking for someone's brain.' She pointed from Snow to Regina. They nodded. 'All of which are ingredients for some type of spell or curse we've never heard of.'

'Right.' David said.

'OK. What else?'

The room fell silent. There was nothing more. That was all they knew. They'd only been able to scrape together a couple of pieces but there was no puzzle to fit them in. Nothing made sense, not even the storybook had been able to shed much light on the situation. There was only Dorothy and an as of yet unidentified brain.

'She's jealous.' David finally broke the silence.

'I don't see how that's relevant.' Regina snidely threw back. She needed to sit down. This conversation was seriously testing her patience. She was done talking; something needed to happen instead of them mindlessly discussing useless details they'd already gone over time and time again.

'Why is she jealous?' Snow turned her attention to her stepmother on the couch next to her. Regina arched an eyebrow as she considered the woman's words. Why? Wasn't it obvious?

The little she'd discovered about her sister had been mind-numbingly dull, a sad sob story one would normally recount over a heartfelt family dinner. That is, if Zelena'd had family. Their mother had abandoned her when she was a baby. Rumpelstiltskin had briefly taught her but had then dismissed her in favor of Regina herself. One rejection after another seemed to grace her sister's tapestry of life.

'Isn't it obvious? She envies the grant and glorious life she missed out on with my mother.' She paused. 'The grant life I lived instead of her.' She sarcastically added.

And what a great life that had been. She'd been nothing more than a pawn in everybody's bigger picture. Her path already carved out for her in the womb. What a naïve, blind little fool she'd been. If only she'd been able to go back in time and talk some sense into her younger-self when she still longed for that freedom. Yes, when she still longed for it. Things were different now.

'Why would your mother _ever_ give up her own child.' Snow wondered out loud, it was more a statement than a question now. She'd heard it asked so many times over the past few days, her answer always remained unwaveringly the same.

'I don't know.'

'Take a guess.' Emma cut in.

'A guess?' She turned to face the savoir. What a ridiculous request. 'How could I possibly presume to know what motivated my mother when she decided to give up my sister? I don't even -'

'She wanted for you to be Queen.' Snow quietly cut in. Her eyes distant as her mind played out events that had occurred long ago.

'Zelena isn't of royal blood, she can't be.' Snow looked up, her eyes wide as she looked from Emma, to Regina, to David. 'Cora would have kept her if she had been.' Her eyes settled on Regina. 'She kept you.'

'What are you saying?' David asked.

But Regina already knew. Snow was right. Her mother had been obsessed with status. She'd started out as a simple miller's daughter. If she'd gotten herself pregnant with someone of an equal status before she'd ever met her father - prince Henry, then Zelena would have been a liability. Her mother's dreams, the ultimate road that would lead her to power, she would have had to give it all up for Zelena. She remembered her mother being many things, but a quitter had never been one of them. Not when she'd set her sights on something. She always managed to get what she wanted one-way or another.

'She gave her up because Zelena couldn't give her what she wanted most,'

Snow nodded, her lips spreading into a smile as she watched Regina catch on.

'Power.' They said in unison.

'Power?' Emma repeated, her voice laced with skepticism.

'She gave up her child for _power_?' The savior looked offended.

Regina couldn't blame her. At least she'd given up Henry for _his_ best chance. She'd been selfless whereas Cora had been selfish and had given up her baby for _her _own best chance. For a moment she almost pitied Zelena. Then she curtly shook her head.

'I still don't see how all of this is relevant.'

'At least now we know what motivates her.' David replied.

'We don't know. We think we know. There's a big difference.' Emma retorted.

They all nodded. It was true. They needed irrefutable evidence that their speculations held some form of the truth.

Emma pinched her nose, her own patience wearing thin.

'OK. Fine. I suggest we go back to the source.' Snow looked up alarmed.

'The witch's house is extremely well guarded. It's too dangerous, Emma.'

'Zelena can do magic, but so can we.' Emma simply stated

Regina let out a dark low laugh.

'She's more powerful than the entire town put together. We wouldn't last a second.'

The idea was preposterous.

'Ever the optimist.' Emma glowered. 'We won't be going in there to destroy her.' she continued. 'We just need to find a way to distract her from the house for a couple of minutes. Maybe we'll even be able to talk to Gold. I'm willing to bet he can shed more light on this entire situation than we'll ever be able to sitting in a room talking about it.'

Regina considered her words. She suspected the same. Rumpel did train Zelena for the briefest of times. Of them all, he was the person who knew the Wicked Witch best.

'Fine.' She relented.

'I'm listening.'

* * *

'There has to be another way.'

'I wish there was. We're out of options and even though I'm not happy about it, Miss Swan's idea could actually work.'

Robin rubbed a hand over his face. She'd come to inform him about their plan, to ask him if he and his men would be willing to distract Zelena, while she, Emma, David and Belle broke into the witch's house on the other side of the forest. They hungered for more information, a way to sabotage Zelena's plans. He felt torn. He wasn't sure how assisting them would affect his son's chances of survival. He couldn't do it.

'Can't we break the curse somehow? We might already know more than we realize.' He hopefully suggested. There had to be a way for him to not get further caught up in this web that was slowly weaving its way tighter and tighter around him.

She shook her head.

'Breaking the curse requires true love's kiss. There are more than enough true love's in Storybrooke.' She paused, a curious expression appeared on her face, but then she looked away before he had the chance to fully interpret it.

'It's been tried. Snow and David, Emma and Henry,' He noticed her linger on that last name. _Henry_. Emma's boy?

'True love's kiss only works under certain conditions.'

'There are rules attached to loving someone?' He asked, incredulous.

'Yes. No. Well, not exactly. It's complicated.' She turned away from him, a mixture of anger and frustration clearly visible in every fiber of her being. This wasn't her favorite subject, he could tell. She knew more about it than she wanted to.

'Why?' He asked while one of his hands came up to rest on her shoulder. He felt her relax a little but she didn't turn around.

'True love's kiss only works when there's such a profound and deep connection between two people that in times of terrible sorrow and pain they have the ability to conjure the most selfless emotion of all.' She paused and inhaled before continuing. He could barely make out her next few words; they trembled from her lips, words laced with regret and something else;

'_Pure love.' _

She turned back. He'd never seen her more conflicted, struggling to push more words from her lips. Her mouth opened and then closed against. She stared down at her hands. He wanted to reach out and comfort her, but decided against it and remained where he stood instead, about a foot away.

'It has to come from the soul.' She finally whispered and looked up, her eyes blinking back that same fleeting emotion he still could not quite identify. 'And no matter how much we may love a person, we can't continuously feel from the soul. It would destroy us if we tried.'

That caught his interest.

'Destroy us?' He couldn't comprehend how a soul deep connection between two people could bring about destruction.

'We would not be able to move on if something were to happen to the people we love. If they died.' She hesitated. 'Our souls would wither away and die with them.' She fully stepped away from him now. It seemed like the meaning of her own words painfully hit her across the face, made her reinstate a wall he believed he'd torn down that very morning.

He didn't understand.

Another thing he could add to his long list of things he didn't understand about Regina.

She was so incredibly layered and guarded. He shook his head; a sudden unexpected urge to tear down all her walls consumed him. With every new curiosity he discovered, the more he wanted to know, the more drawn he felt to her. Never before had he found himself quite as intrigued by another soul. Marian? No, not even Marian had been this irresistibly complicated. The harder Regina pushed back the more he wanted to be the one to break down those barriers.

'Regina.' He caught her by the wrist and softly tugged her back. She hesitated, but relented when her eyes met his. He softly smiled, his hand coming up to her cheek. She returned his smile and leaned into his touch.

Relief washed over him when he saw she was still there. She still allowed him entry beyond those high impenetrable walls of hers. Encouraged, he slowly bend down and captured her lips with his. It was supposed to be a fleeting kiss, to reassure, but to his surprise her reaction was more demanding. Her lips eagerly moved with his, her arms coming around his neck, pulling him closer and he could swear she was just as keen on drowning out the world as he was. He wanted to forget, only feel, not remember, and so did she.

When they finally broke apart it took him a moment to suppress the urge to immediately reach for her again and consequences be damned. But he didn't.

'I'll help you.' He panted in answer to her earlier question. Her eyes smiled at him and he softly traced her jawline with his thumb in response.

He'd help her. How could he not? But as he realized why he couldn't refuse her he felt himself grow cold.

As much as he'd struggled against it before, he now found himself vastly falling in love with her.

* * *

**That's it for now. I've already written an outline for the next chapter but haven't started writing it, yet. Somehow the actual chapters never quite turn out the way I outline them. This turned into something totally different than what I'd originally planned, but I'm really not complaining. I had immense fun writing this!**

**Also, over the next couple of days I'll be editing the chapters I already published here, because I'm **_**that**_** anal and certain things still bother me about certain paragraphs I wrote and I also found some typos, which are frustrating thorns in my eyes whenever I come across them. I also need to figure out how to properly use commas. Then again the English language doesn't really understand how to properly use commas either, so maybe I'm good. I have no clue how that will work with notification emails, but if you get more notifications than you're used to from me just ignore them, it's only me replacing content. I might actually add some paragraphs in certain chapters and take some out, so it's entirely up to you if that motivates you to re-read them. It really won't hinder your understanding of the story in general if you don't. Hope you all have a nice weekend! Will probably update again on Tuesday or Wednesday. I have a rather busy week ahead of me so replies will be scarce. As always, thank you for reading, following and reviewing! I can't believe 111 people are currently following this story. You guys amaze me. I adore every single one of you for taking the time to read, comment and subscribe. Bless you! **


	10. Chapter 10: Home

**I decided to include the missing scene after all. I know this kind of screws with the flow of the story and I apologies for that. I'm currently working on re-writing chapter 8 as well because I feel as though my build up to the scene I'm working my way up to just isn't strong enough. The impact of that chapter needs to be stronger so I need a better foundation. Therefore, Chapter 8 will probably include some graphic stuff and I will mostly upload it along with Chapter 12 by the end of this week. You also may have noticed that I deleted chapter 11, for the same reason I'm re-writing chapter 8. Again I apologies for the budding headaches all of these changes will probably induce. I'm of the opinion, it will end up being a better story in the end and that's really what this is all about right? **

* * *

**Chapter 10: Home**

With each new step her legs grew heavier, widening the gap between her and the group. She hadn't intended on falling behind and under normal circumstances she figured she would be the one leading the powerless bunch of them into the dangers that lay ahead, but things had changed and for the moment she preferred the distance. It gave her the opportunity to reflect without scrutinizing eyes judging her every movement. Robin's men were still weary of her. They took to ogling her now, a mixture of fear, resentment, even curiosity travelled her way every few minutes. Unaware, Robin walked among them with David. He liked David, she'd seen them talk and David had laughed at something Robin had said earlier. He seemed content. Content among the heroes, where he belonged.

She sighed and looked down again, her hands deeply trust into her pockets. The path lay littered with leaves, twigs and dirt and though it was cold too, she felt save here. Nature had always had a way of southing her senses. She revelled in the feel of the wind blowing in her face, toying with her hair, the smell of freshly fallen rain, unburdening her. It reminded her of the Enchanted Forest and lately, though she loathed to admit it, it reminded her of a certain outlaw.

'You're far away.' Startled she looked up and found Robin's eyes intensely trained on her. She felt herself warm at the concern she found in the depths of those blue eyes.

'Only enjoying my surroundings.' She answered, slightly picking up her pace as he fell in step next to her.

He nodded.

'It sure isn't the Enchanted Forest, but it's home all the same.'

She studied his expression. Home. Did home mean the same to him as it did to her these days? It had struck her hard when she'd first realized that she not only associated Henry with home anymore but had started to associate _him_ with her idea of home as well. She would never admit it to anyone, of course, but the feelings were there and it froze her to the core every time she gave them so much as a moments thought.

She touched one of his hands and laced her fingers through his, only for a moment, to ease her mind. He squeezed her hand, and she trained her eyes on him in response. Did he sense her troubled thoughts? Maybe he did.

'Regina!'

Emma's familiar figure broke through the throng of men and Regina instinctively stepped away from Robin. The blonde's eyes flickered between her and the outlaw, a brief expression of surprise flashing across her features before she settled her eyes on Regina.

'Are you ready?'

'Yes.' She responded darkly, ignoring the uncomfortable tension that always lingered between her and miss Swan.

'Good.' Emma nodded, a hint of anguish in her voice.

'Good luck, then.' She added.

Regina gave her a weak smile, half regretting the decision to act as bait in this plan of theirs. It had been her idea to split up with Robin and his men. They were supposed to attempt to distract Zelena, while David, Belle and Emma followed behind later. If everything worked as planned it would give the Charmings and Rumpel's bookworm the opportunity to sneak into the cellar unnoticed. What was more, it would give them time; time they desperately needed. It wasn't by far a safe plan but it would it was their best chance. She knew, given the opportunity, Zelena would come after her, would turn her blind rage on her trespassing little sister.

She walked past Emma, past Robin and Belle, finding the determination to lead the group of men into the clearing ahead. It didn't matter whether they trusted her or not; she would be her sister's main target not them.

'Hey.' He appeared at her side and put a hand on her shoulder. She stopped and turned.

'I've got your back.'

A lump formed in her throat and she covered his hand with hers, not caring whether they saw, not giving a moment's thought to what his men would think of their leader, nor that look on his face. Her heart ached and an uncomfortable feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.

She released his hand and stepped into the clearing, the men closely behind her. Their bows stretched as they all carefully shuffled across the empty field.

Her sister's house was only a short distance away. Nothing seemed to suggest that she was home, her house as abandoned looking as the first time she'd visited the place. That had been the day she met Robin.

The steps creaked underneath her feet as she ascended the stairs to the front door. She turned the knob; it was unlocked. She pushed the door open and motioned for the men to follow her inside. They did.

'Where could she be?' Robin whispered next to her.

His guess was as good as hers.

'We should split up, we'll cover more ground that way.' She said. He nodded and motioned behind him. Groups of two instantly formed and split across the house, disappearing out of sight.

'I wonder if the whiskey is still in there.' He gave her a suggestive smile and motioned in the direction of the room they had searched weeks before. She smirked, shook her head and turned to the living room, her eyes landing on a big chest next to the couch.

'What's this?'

She touched the lock, sensing the magic surrounding it, then tore it off. At least blood-magic worked both ways. She pushed the lid upward. Her eyes widened slightly, what she found inside surprised her. She never pegged her sister as the sentimental type. She traced her fingers across the soft wool of a baby blanket, the letter Z knitted across the side. She used to have one just like it, except for the Z, which had obviously been an R in her case.

'What is it?' Robin came up behind her, his bow still in place.

'Nothing,' she pushed the blanket to the side of the chest. 'Merely more proof that I'm actually related to that witch.'

'Is that any way to speak of your _big_ sister?'

She froze and then whirled around, her eyes searching and immediately finding the woman across the room.

'I didn't think you were stupid enough to break into my house again.' Zelena continued. 'But obviously you _are_ that stupid.' Regina slowly stood and closed the chest. Robin shifted in front of her, his bow aimed at Zelena's chest.

'And you brought your filthy outlaw with you.'

'Don't take another step closer, Zelena.' Robin warned.

The witch laughed, the shrill sound resonating off the walls. Footsteps sounded behind and around them, then Robin's men appeared from all sides.

'You brought more than one.' she cheered and clapped her hands together at the sight of a dozen or so bows trained on her head, chest, stomach and neck.

'Zelena we don't have to do this.' Regina found her voice, her thoughts on the chest and the blanket; the knitted Z burning in her mind's eye. They were sisters. It didn't have to be this way.

'Oh, but we do.' Zelena said.

'We're sisters.' Regina voiced her thoughts. 'We don't have to live the life mother chose for us, you can be free of all that.'

Zelena regarded her with contempt.

'You know nothing of the life I lived.' She spat and stepped closer. The bows around her pulled tighter. 'I watched you, Regina. What an ungrateful child you were. Mother only wanted what was best for you. How was being a Queen not good enough? All you ever cared about was a silly little stable boy.'

Regina clenched her fists, anger bubbling up inside of her. But she determinedly pushed it back down.

'I do know what it's like to be victimized by mother,' she spat. 'She destroyed more lives than either of us ever did. We have more in common than you think.'

'We're nothing alike, you and I.' Her eyes shifted to Robin. 'I learn from my mistakes, but you, you still haven't learned anything from yours.' Her sister's hand stretched forward and Regina's heart leaped into her throat. Arrows zoomed through the air, their target locked, but Zelena only laughed. The arrows limply fell at her feet, all but for three, which remained suspended in air, hovering in front of her chest. She flicked her hand to the side and they slowly turned around. Her target blatantly obvious.

Robin.

Their eyes met and Regina acted on instinct. She pushed him aside. His bow clattered to the ground. She caught one arrow with her hand, turned the second one to dust, but she wasn't quick enough. Her scream rent the air and her knees harshly hit the floor beneath, her hand clutching her arm to her chest.

'Regina!' Robin scurried to her, his eyes wild.

'Let that be a lesson, little sis.' Zelena's voice cut in, bright with glee. 'Never make the same mistake twice.'

With that she disappeared, the cloud of smoke startling half the men as she went.

'Are you alright?'

Was she al right? She looked down at her arm, her coat was quickly turning liquid red. She struggled to stand but fell when a sudden pain in her ankle overruled the pain in her arm. He caught her, his concern deepening.

'It's nothing.' She assured. Blood slowly dripped onto the carpet below, but it didn't matter. Zelena knew. She knew she was with Robin. But how? Nobody knew. Nobody was supposed to know.

'What's wrong?' Robin caught the look on her face. Regina shook her head.

'The cellar.' She said, hiding the panic that consumed her.

Robin turned to his men, understanding dawning on them and they hurriedly disappeared from sight.

'Go with them.' She ordered.

'No.'

'Robin, go!' She repeated. She needed him to leave. He could not stay. She pushed her hand against his chest, willing him to leave her be, let her bleed out for all she cared.

'No!' He flung her good arm around his neck and pulled her against him. 'I've got your back.'

She swallowed hard. He couldn't have her back. It would be a mistake, a fatal one. But he ignored her protesting struggles, her angry words. Finally, when she had nothing more left and he still refused to leave, she let him guide her down the hall. Her arm throbbed, drops of blood trailing behind her.

He helped her descend the porch steps and that's when her attention shifted, she saw them; Emma, David and Belle appearing one by one from the cellar. The moment they caught sight of Robin and herself, they rushed across the field toward them. Robin's men all around them, their useless bows pulled just in case.

'Regina!' Emma yelled, picking up speed when she saw the arrow sticking out of her arm.

'What the hell happened?' She demanded, looking between the two of them.

'She saved my life.' Robin said. Regina sharply turned her eyes on him.

'You jumped in front of an arrow?!' Belle asked, her surprise palpable.

'Three.' Robin corrected. Emma's brows shot up.

Regina rolled her eyes.

'We need to move _now_!' Friar Tuck cut in from behind them. Emma nodded, her attention momentarily lingering on Robin and Regina's arm, then she turned away.

'Did you talk to Rumpel?' Regina inquired.

David nodded, his expression grim.

'Zelena intends to change the past.' He cut to the chase.

'The past? That's impossible.'

'She found a way and she wants to erase you.' Belle replied, falling in step next to David.

Her sister wanted to erase her? Found a way to change the past? It couldn't be done. What was meant to be always came to pass. It was one of the three laws of magic. Laws Rumpelstiltskin had made sure she'd never forget._ Rule number one: you can't make someone love you. Rule number two: you can't bring back the dead. Rule number three: The past cannot be changed, what's done is done._

'Why?' She heard herself wonder out loud.

'She wants to be the one to cast the dark curse.' Belle said. Regina frowned. It all dwindled down to jealousy again. Could her sister be _that_ self-absorbed? There had to be more to her story than they phantomed.

'And how does she plan to accomplish such a feat?'

'Dorothy's brain, your heart and David's courage.' Emma cut in, coming up next to Robin.

They had been ingredients after all! She unconsciously shifted her arm and winced at the pain it caused. She had to remember not to do that again.

'We need to stop for a moment.' Robin said, his eyes on her blood soaked sleeve. 'We're far enough, I doubt Zelena is following us.'

David nodded, no questions asked, and he held a hand up behind him, motioning for the men to stop.

'Let me take a look at that.' Robin's hands moved over her lower arm, carefully tracing the fabric with both his hands. She bit down on her lip, the pain incessant, but she refused to be bothered by it.

'What else did you find out?' She continued, half-aware of Robin guiding her to a fallen tree. She sat and he continued his examination.

Emma glanced at David and wracked a hand through her hair.

'He told us there was only one way to stop her.' Emma hesitated.

'What way?' Regina demanded, her eyes shifting between the three of them.

Pain ripped through her body then, startled she let out a loud cry and pulled her arm from his grasp. Robin had broken off the tip.

'What the hell do you think you're doing?!' she cried out.

'It needs to come out.' He answered matter-of-factly.

'Can you heal it?' David asked, momentarily ignoring her other question.

Regina shook her head. Black magic wasn't exactly known for its healing properties, and it sure wasn't strong enough to heal a wound this size.

Robin pulled her arm back and rapidly broke off the nock. She groaned, but didn't pull back.

'Don't make me regret saving your ass, outlaw.' She glowered.

He smirked, his attention solely focused on what remained of the arrow.

'I'm sure I'll be able to make it up to you somehow, m'lady.' His tone playful.

Emma's jaw dropped slightly and she turned to Belle. The two shared a surprised looked, but remained quiet. David uncomfortably shifted, scratching his neck. Wonderful. She really should have discussed prudency with the archer; subtlety wasn't his strongest suit that was for sure.

'This is going to hurt a little.' He continued, unaware of all of the different pairs of eyes on them.

She nodded and he swiftly pushed the arrow through her flesh. She screamed, she couldn't help it, the pain more agonizing than she could have imagined. Why did she even allow him to do this? They had damn hospitals and strong narcotics in this world! _How was he to know that?_ Another voice screamed. He didn't know and as the pain slowly ebbed away, she became aware of his lips against her forehead, soothing her. Maybe that was why she allowed it.

'Emma.' She motioned for the woman to step closer. 'My magic isn't strong enough to heal this wound but yours is.'

Emma nodded, her expression grave as she bend down on one knee in front of Regina.

'What do I do?'

'Give me your hand.' She said, feeling slightly faint, her sleeve entirely soaked in blood now.

Emma's hand hovered above her wound.

'Concentrate.' She told her. 'Focus on the power within you and turn it outward.'

Emma screwed her eyes shut, her expression focused. After a moment her hand glowed a bright white and Regina felt her skin knit together, the bleeding stopped, her skin healed. _Amazing_, she thought. She'd only ever been able to do that with shallow wounds. She felt a pang of envy burst inside her, but quickly cast it aside. She would never be as powerful as the woman in front of her, but she didn't have to be. No, she really didn't want to be.

'Thank you.' She whispered when Emma re-opened her eyes.

The blonde smiled, a genuine smile, and Regina realised her own gratitude was just as genuine.

She scrapped her throat and turned her attention back to David.

'Now what of this solution to all of our problems?'

Emma shot David the same regretful look as before. The price was steep, she could tell. It always was with Rumpel.

'We need to take the baby to Kansas once she's born.'

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**Let me know what you think ;) **


	11. Chapter 11: The Thing You Love Most

**_READ THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE:_ **

**THIS IS NOT A NEW CHAPTER. CHAPTER 10 IS NEW, IT'S THE MISSING SCENE I DID NOT WANT TO WRITE BUT ENDED UP WRITING ANYWAY. IT PRECEDES THE EVENTS IN THIS CHAPTER AND I HOPE YOU'LL READ IT. I'M BACK FOR NOW THOUGH ;) HOPE YOU ENJOY CHAPTER 10 AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK. **

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**Chapter 11: The Thing You Love Most**

The atmosphere at Granny's was unusually tense.

Most of them felt aggravated as they watched Snow pace up and down, up and down. Others seemed blatantly worried. Worried for her and her family. In reality all of them had been itching to help them but no one had been invited. David had warned the group, had given the dwarves a stern look that had told them to stay out of it. Grumpy had been reluctant to follow his orders at first. After all, princess Snow White was the one he felt indebted to, the only human he would ever lay down his own life for because he knew she'd do the same for him. But in the end he'd listened. David had told him to take care of his wife, to be there for her. Though, Grumpy wasn't the emotional type, he understood that she needed to be around friendly and familiar faces while half her family was risking their lives for her and her unborn child. And that's how he now found himself at Granny's, watching her, pacing and worrying.

It made him grumpy.

Granny's attempts at calming her down had been futile so far and in the end even she had decided it was best to just let Snow wear a hole in her precious floor if that's what she preferred doing. _'Incorrigible woman.'_ The old woman had muttered under her breath but so far those had been the only words she'd wasted on the topic.

The silence weighed heavily on all of them, every single person's attention trained on Snow White's form, watching her move back and forth between the door and the backroom. '_How much longer would this take?'_ Grumpy wondered. It had already been two hours since they'd gone.

Snow sighed, her expression growing less hopeful with every passing minute. But she never faltered as she continued her pacing, back and forth, back and forth.

Finally after what seemed liked an eternity they heard a chime and all heads in the diner simultaneously turned as they watched David burst through the door.

'David!'

'Snow!'

Relieved Snow rushed forward and immediately wrapped her arms around her disheveled looking prince Charming. He kissed her before she could ask where the others were but then she never had to for the door immediately burst open a second time, and an equally disheveled looking Emma pushed through, closely followed by a limping Regina, heavily leaning on the shoulder of a tousled looking Robin. Then Belle entered, unscathed and finally Robin's men who just looked tired and ready for a drink.

'Emma!' Snow pushed herself from Charming and ran to her daughter, enveloping the young woman in a tight hug. Too wary to respond Emma failed to wrap her own arms around her mother and found herself heavily leaning against her instead.

'What happened?' Snow inquired as the group settled themselves on barstools, looking more beaten than she had ever seen them in her life. It was clear they had only narrowly escaped the Wicked Witch's lair. Luckily none of them looked fatally injured, although Regina seemed to haven taken the worst of it. Her clothes looked positively bloody and shredded while dirt and sticks stuck to all sides of her torn coat all the way down to her legs and dirtied boots. Unsurprisingly, Zelena had taken out most of her wrath on her half sister.

'She wants to travel back in time to erase Regina's existence.' David immediately cut to the chase.

'But that's impossible.' Tink said, approaching the group now.

'Nobody's ever changed the past. It can't be done. It's one of the three laws of magic.'

'She's already found a way.' Belle resentfully retorted. 'It's not a matter of how, it's a matter of when.'

'Impossible.' Tink stubbornly repeated, still unconvinced, shaking her head. It could simply not be done.

'Your baby.' Regina said.

'Your baby's brain is the last element. That and her power. She's special, Snow.'

More special than any of them could possibly comprehend.

That's what he'd said.

'Another special Charming baby.' Regina then bitterly added and heavily leaned her head in her hand in an attempt to ease her headache. This whole thing was turning into a huge cliché and for once she was at the receiving end of somebody's destructive wrath. She didn't like it one bit.

'Rumpelstiltskin.' Snow began. 'He told you this?'

Emma solemnly nodded. There was more.

Rumple had told Belle everything, all that they needed to know and all that could be done about it. There was only one thing they could do and Snow wasn't going to like it.

'Snow.' David put a hand on his wife's shoulder. 'Rumpelstiltskin told us how we can save her. How she can save all of us.'

The tone in David's voice made Snow move away. His hand fell to his side, his eyes mournful. She shook her head.

'No!' She firmly responded to the look in his eye. 'No!'

They all shared the same mournful look. Even Regina who had been responsible for what happened to her first-born; Emma. She turned to her daughter, her eyes pleading for her to understand, for anything, it didn't matter what.

'I'm not giving up another child.'

Tears sprung into her eyes as she reached for Emma. She could not go through this again. Emma wrapped her arms around her, her hands rubbing up and down her mother's back. It was beyond cruel. Nothing about this was fair. Yet, it was the only way they could defeat Zelena. _'Take Dorothy to Kansas'_, Rumple had said. _'She'll be safe there.' _

'There's no other way, Snow.' Regina whispered, her own heart aching at the sight of that much pain in a mother's eyes. She understood. For once she knew exactly what it felt like to give up a child. Every bone in her body still longed for that boy who now greeted her with a vacant expression on his face every morning. Completely unaware, looking right through her.

'No!' Snow roared. 'You don't get to decide that!'

'Snow.' David whispered, his hand returning to her shoulder, silently, urging her not to cross that line.

She shrugged it off and pushed Emma from her as her sadness shifted to rage, Regina her target.

'You took Emma from me.' She wrathfully pointed her finger at Regina, her emotions uncontrolled. 'You took 28 years from me.' Regina swallowed but she didn't look away. Guilt tore at her insides, but she couldn't speak. There was nothing she could say.

'And now your sister is going to take my other daughter from me and I'm just supposed to sit here and take it while my whole family is torn apart again for a second time? Why?'

One tear after another streamed down Snow's face and all Regina could do was watch. Snow's eyes pleaded with hers, urging her to give her a reason, one reason. But there wasn't one.

She had no answers.

She shook her head and pushed herself away from the counter.

'Regina!' Emma called after her as she watched the woman limp to the door.

She held up her hand and shook her head again. The door opened and closed, this time less forceful than all the previous times she'd so unceremoniously left Granny's. She truly didn't understand why she kept coming back to that horrid place. It held nothing but bitter memories.

As she limped away she felt no anger. Merely a deep seethed feeling of being unwanted. She would never truly belong with them. Forgiveness was nothing more than a childish lie.

She'd only managed to hobble a couple of steps down the sidewalk before the door opened and closed again.

'I'm really tired.' She determinedly spoke, stopping but not turning around. Why did he always insist on following her everywhere she went?

'She didn't mean it.' He ignored.

'Yes, she did.' She turned around.

'In fact, she should mean it. It's her good right to.' She continued.

'Princess Snow-White is many things,' He stepped closer. 'but wrathful isn't one of them. She'll come around.'

She closed her eyes and set her jaw. She couldn't take this. Not after what had gone down at the cabin that afternoon. She'd been such a fool this entire time. Why had she allowed him to get so unbearably close to her? How had he wormed his way inside so fast? Of course she knew why. But she didn't want to know, not now.

'I really don't need reassurance from a _thief._' She spat, all her previously restrained anger finally bubbling to the surface.

Taken aback he stared at her.

She couldn't do this. The whole reason she was limping around like a fool, her coat bloodied and ripped to shreds was because of him. Because she'd let her emotions get in the way of rational thought.

'Excuse me?' His tone edgy.

'I can't do this.' She motioned between the two of them.

'This thing, whatever it is, is getting in the way of my goals.' She nonchalantly threw at him. Maybe if she was casual about it, maybe if she told him she felt nothing for him, maybe then he would be safe.

'_I'm_ getting in the way of _your_ goals?' He threw back incredulous, his own anger now matching hers.

'You asked me and my men to help _you_, if I remember correctly.'

'That was a mistake.' She icily countered.

'I think it's best if from now on we stay away from each other.'

His jaw dropped slightly. Her sudden casual demeanor, her change in behavior, it completely threw him.

'Where is this coming from?'

'I've simply decided that I'm done with you. Your company was pleasurable while it lasted, but now I'm growing somewhat tired of your constant presence in my life.'

'You've grown tired of me?' He repeated, his tone laced with anger and disbelief. He took another step closer and watched how her expression momentarily shifted to that of discomfort. She was lying. Nothing about it made sense. She felt as drawn to him as he felt to her.

'You feel things for me you haven't felt in a long time, Regina.'

She laughed out loud.

'Don't flatter yourself. I don't feel a thing for you.' She immediately countered.

He observed her for a moment, studying her face. No matter how well she tried to hide from him, he could see right through her.

'I think you do. In fact, I think the thought that you might actually care terrifies you.'

Her expression faltered, only for a moment but he caught it.

He was right; she was terrified. As she'd watched her sister magically turn Robin's arrows against him she'd momentarily frozen. Their eyes had met and before she knew it she'd thrown herself in front of him. She'd screamed as one of the arrows had pierced her through the arm, she'd only barely been able to catch the second one and the last one she'd somehow managed to turn to dust before it could pierce her through the skull. Exhausted and in pain she'd fallen down in front of him, twisting her ankle in the process. But it hadn't mattered, he was safe and her sister had seen it. She'd seen it all.

'Leave me the hell alone, I'm in no mood.' She turned around and started further down the path. She longed to use her magic, but then she didn't want to run the risk of Henry randomly catching her use it. It would complicate matters even further.

'You're just going to run away from this?'

'I can't now, can I?' she mocked as she motioned to her foot. The pain was killing her.

His expression softened.

'Let me help you.' He offered, always the gentlemen.

'No.' she firmly retorted, hobbling further along the sidewalk.

'Oh, stop being such a stubborn ass.'

Her eyes grew wide and she whirled around.

'Robin.' Her tone threateningly low now. 'Go home before I roast your ass.'

Unfazed he shook his head, pulled one of her protesting arms around his shoulder, and pressed his own arm around her waist for support.

'I intend to.' He stubbornly whispered in her ear.

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**That's it for now. I have some ideas for Chapter 11, but I'm really trying to work my way up to Chapter 12, because that chapter is actually what got me interested in this story. I actually hope to have both chapters up by the end of tomorrow. Let me know your thoughts about this chapter though! And as always thanks for reading. ^^**


	12. Chapter 12: Doubts

**This chapter was supposed to be longer but I fell ill today and was unable to complete the second part on time and since I promised an update this weekend and I loathe breaking promises, I figured I would give you guys this. It's more of a filler chapter but one I spent quite a lot of time on writing and editing. Thoughts are appreciated! Also, I'm struggling a little with my re-write for chapter 8, it will hopefully happen soon. I'm just having a hard time finding a way to not turn that chapter into a tacky mess. **

**Enjoy this and once again thank you so much for your support, follows and reviews! **

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**Chapter 11: Doubts**

Her thoughts were clearer than they had been in a long time and a calmness had settled inside of her, had closed itself around that heavy brick-like feeling in the pit of her stomach, had encased her troubled thoughts along with it. It had been a week since any of them had heard from her sister, a week since she'd consistently started training Emma, a week since she'd taken an arrow and had been slapped across the face by Snow. A week since she'd last seen him. Robin. It was better this way. Once she had rid herself from the outlaw slivers of the control she believed she had lost forever had returned to her. The distance had enabled her to think more clearly and she had come to the conclusion that she wasn't even sure if what she felt for him was real. She'd given him, - or more accurately - his lion tattoo a considerable amount of thought and in the end she had been forced to admit that if she hadn't known he was the man she had run from all those years ago, she probably never would have pursued him in the first place. Yes, she decided, the draw had been the tattoo. Her feelings were tainted. Her choices not hers. How could she be certain her feelings were hers? She hadn't pondered the question for long, had ended up banning his existence from her mind altogether. A burden had lifted off of her then and she had been able to breathe again.

On top of that the time she'd spent with the Charmings had enabled her to see more of Henry and though it hurt he still regarded her with an expression that left her feeling bereft of all of the moment's they'd shared in the past it was still good to have him close. To be able to see and touch her son was something she never could have dreamed of after she had watched him cross the town-line with Emma all those months ago. He was here, and she was here and Emma was finally making some progress.

'Will you be back for dinner?' Snow's cry pulled her back to the present and she fleetingly felt Emma brush past her.

'Yeah, yeah.' The blonde replied, waving a hand behind her as she opened the front door.

'Are you coming?'

Regina nodded.

It had taken a while for her to get used to the constant presence of the Charmings and their ways, even now, after a week of their playful bickering she still felt ill at ease around them. Snow had apologized, just like Robin had predicted. Regina remembered the guilt-ridden expression on her step-daughter's face as she'd almost begged her for forgiveness. She hadn't meant it, she'd said. But Regina wasn't easily fooled and on top of that Snow was a terrible liar. Nonetheless she'd accepted the apology. She'd accepted because she understood. A type of understanding she never would have capable of feeling a year ago, but that had been before she'd lost Henry.

As the days wore on and she had gotten used to the unfamiliar atmosphere in the Charming's apartment, they'd found themselves searching for more answers. _Could they break the curse_?; was one question that continuously plagued them. Emma had tried true love's kiss on Henry more times than she cared to remember, but since the boy wasn't in immediate danger – and all of them had immediately rejected the idea of risking his life - love filled kisses had little affect on him. It tore at her heart. There was also the obstacle of him not understanding, nor believing in what they really were. Fairy-tale characters. She would have given anything to have Henry remember, but there were no potions she could brew, nor spells she could cast that were strong enough to bring him back to her.

'_What about Hook?'_

She'd asked, after a particularly grueling training session with Emma. She'd been so tired of beating around the bush that day and she knew; had become aware of what Hook meant to the savior.

'_What of him?' _Emma had asked.

'_We curse him and you perform true love's kiss on him.' _

She'd received a loud snort and an incredulous look in response. Granted it was a risk, but one she'd be more than willing to take.

'_He's not my true love. I don't love him.'_

'_Right.' _

'_I don't.' _

Emma's denial had become one of the biggest thorns in her side. It was obvious. She'd watched them, had seen the lingering looks, the deep seethed longing in their eyes when they didn't think the other one was looking. Magic floated around them, like bees attracted to honey. It made her sick to her stomach, but it also filled her with anger. If Emma could break the curse, had the ability and strength to do so, then why couldn't she just get over her own pig-headedness and get it on with the damn pirate?

'Wait.' David's voice stopped her. The hesitance in his tone peeked her interest and she turned back to face him.

'I – uh.' Charming at a loss for words? There was a first time for everything after all.

'I'm not sure if I should mention this,' he continued. 'I'd rather not get involved.' She narrowed her eyes. 'But the archer,' he paused again. 'Robin Hood, approached me the other day,' He scratched his neck. 'he – uh, he wants to talk you.'

Her fists clenched together, her jaw set tighter and she was sure her heart beat a little faster. She should have expected this. Like her he was too stubborn to let go once he'd made his mind up about something, even after she'd made it clear that she didn't want to see him anymore.

'Look, it probably isn't any of my business, but -'

'No, it's not. It's none of your business.' She cut him off. She had no desire to discuss Robin with David, nor with anyone else. Not when she had just managed to cast the outlaw from her mind. Doubts would not creep back into her heart now. She turned around, her eyes determinedly set on the door. Emma was still there, her expression one of disapproval, but she remained quiet.

'He cares for you.' Snow called from her place in the kitchen, having overheard the exchange between her and David. Regina whirled back. The pregnant woman waddled across the room toward her husband. 'You should have seen the look on his face. He may not know it, but he feels you're his soul mate, Regina.'

She curtly shook her head, she resented that word; _Soul mate_. Tinker Bell should have kept quiet and when had they ventured across that invisible line? When had hatred blossomed into a type of familial comradery that had given the Charmings the false impression that they could address her this way? She looked from Snow to David. Not long ago she wouldn't have hesitated killing them all and if it hadn't been for Henry, she surely would have done so. But then Neverland had happened, and after that her sister and now her training with Emma left her working so closely with the Charmings that she'd ended up sharing conversations over dinner with them almost every evening that past week alone. How had that happened? Her attention shifted back to her step-daughter.

'I had a soul mate,' her eyes burned into Snow's. 'He died a long time ago.'

She turned back to Emma.

They were done here.

'Let's go.'

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**Let me know what you think!**


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